[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
[November 23, 2002]
[Pages 2119-2120]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks to the People of Romania in Bucharest
November 23, 2002
Salut! Thank you all. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for being out here in the rain. Thank you for
such a warm welcome. Laura and I are honored to
be in this great country. As we started speaking, a rainbow appeared.
God is smiling on us today.
I'm proud to stand in this great square and to bring the good wishes
of the American people. Today we reaffirm the friendship between your
country and mine. I'm honored to carry a message to the people of
Romania: We proudly invite you to join NATO, the great alliance of
freedom.
All around us are reminders of Romania's history and the culture we
share. Close by is a church, three centuries old, a symbol of the faith
that overcomes all oppression. In this square we see monuments of
Romanian patriots who lost their lives in liberty--for the liberty of
your nation. And here, in December of 1989, you broke the silence of
your captivity. From that balcony, the dictator heard your voices and
faltered and fled. Two generations of bitter tyranny ended, and all the
world witnessed the courage of Romania, the courage that set you free.
Since those days of liberation, Romania has made an historic
journey. Instead of hatred, you have chosen tolerance. Instead of
destructive rivalry with your neighbors, you have chosen reconciliation.
Instead of state control, you have chosen free markets and rule of law.
And instead of dictatorship, you have built a proud and working
democracy.
The path of freedom you've chosen is not easy, but it's the only
path worth taking. I know that your hardship did not end with your
oppression. America respects your labor, your patience, your daily
determination to find a better life. Your effort has been recognized by
an offer to NATO membership. We welcome Romania into NATO.
NATO's invitation to join was also a vote of confidence that you
will continue the hard work of political, economic, and military reform.
And as you do, you will have partners in all the nations of NATO. The
promises of our Alliance are sacred, and we will keep our pledges to all
the nations that join us. Should any danger threaten Romania--should any
nation threaten Romania, the United States of America and NATO will be
by your side. As a NATO Ally, you can have this confidence: No one will
be able to take away the freedom of your country.
NATO membership will make Romania more secure, and Romania will add
to the strength of the NATO Alliance as we face unprecedented new
dangers. Already, our troops are serving side by side in Afghanistan.
Already, Romania has joined the global coalition against terror. And we
thank you very much.
The world has suffered enough from fanatics who seek to impose their
will through fear and murder. The NATO Alliance and the civilized world
are confronting the new enemies of freedom, and we will prevail.
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Your country also brings moral clarity to our NATO Alliance. You
value freedom because you have lived without it. You know the difference
between good and evil because you have seen evil's face. The people of
Romania understand that aggressive dictators cannot be appeased or
ignored; they must always be opposed.
An aggressive dictator now rules in Iraq.
By his search for terrible weapons, by his ties to terror groups, by his
development of prohibited ballistic missiles, the dictator of Iraq
threatens the security of every free nation, including the free nations
of Europe. The United Nations Security Council and now NATO have spoken
with one voice: The Iraqi regime will completely disarm itself of
weapons of mass murder, or we, the United States, will lead a coalition
of willing nations and disarm that regime in the name of peace.
Every nation must confront danger. Every free nation has a
responsibility to play its full and responsible role. And together, Mr.
President, we will preserve our freedoms, and we
will work together to keep the peace.
In the peaceful future we're building, Romania will strengthen our
lives in another way, as a bridge to a new Russia. For centuries,
Romania's geography was a source of danger. Now, you can help our
Alliance to extend a hand of cooperation across the Black Sea. Russia
has nothing to fear from the growth of NATO, because Russia needs
peaceful, stable neighbors like Romania. As I told President
Putin yesterday, a Russia that is fully part
of Europe needs no buffer zone separating it from Europe. America and
Romania are friends to the Russian people, and so is the NATO Alliance.
Mr. President, citizens of Romania, Laura
and my visit to your beautiful country has been short, but the
friendship and soon the Alliance between our countries will endure.
On this historic square, among the monuments to Romania's greatness,
there's also a building left in ruins, the former offices of the secret
police. It is a fitting reminder of all the cruelties done there and the
justice that rose up against oppression. That grim monument also recalls
the many brave Romanians who did not live to see this day. Our prayers
are for them and their families. Yet, today, their hopes are being
fulfilled. The nation they love is rising. Romania has won its freedom.
Romania is resolute in difficulty and moving toward greater prosperity.
And Romania is finding its place in the greatest--history's greatest
alliance for freedom.
I have come to tell you that the world and my country knows the
character of the people of this great country. We respect your country.
We love the fact that you love freedom. May God bless you and your
families. May God bless Romania. And may God bless America. Thank you
all.
Note: The President spoke at 4:35 p.m. at the Piata Revolutiei. In his
remarks, he referred to President Ion Iliescu of Romania, who introduced
the President; President Vladimir Putin of Russia; and President Saddam
Hussein of Iraq.