[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
[September 18, 2002]
[Page 1613]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1613]]


Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic
September 18, 2002

    President Bush. Mr. President, welcome to the Oval Office. Are you 
going to interpret? We're so glad you are here. It's my honor to welcome 
a truly remarkable person, a man who symbolizes courage and 
determination, and a man who loves freedom.
    Mr. President, you are a unique person who has helped change the 
world. I am proud to call you friend, and my Nation is proud to call the 
Czech Republic friend as well. I look forward to our discussion about 
important issues today, and I also look forward to having a dinner 
tonight.
    So, welcome. Welcome to our capital, and welcome to the Oval Office.
    The President is going to say some remarks here.
    President Havel. I would like to thank Mr. President for his kind 
words on my address. I'm very moved. I thank you for your hospitality, 
for the time which Laura Bush and you made for us. And I hope we shall 
have important and interesting discussions about the future of human 
rights and about human security.
    I would like, publicly, to thank you for your solidarity and your 
support during terrible floods which were in my country. I would like to 
assure you that the Czech Republic is and will remain good friend of the 
United States, good ally. I hope that the next step will be done in the 
summit of NATO, which will be in Prague, which is for us a big honor.
    I think that now it will be important if NATO will able to identify 
itself, to find its new identity in this very changed world. And 
especially now, after 11th of September, I think there is a lot of new 
kind of evil in this world, and it is necessary to face this evil and to 
face all who support it.
    Thank you.
    President Bush. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 10:12 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House.