    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [May 29, 2003]
    [Pages 552-554]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Nile TV of Egypt
    May 29, 2003

    Upcoming Visit to Egypt/Meeting With Arab Leaders

        Q. Mr. President, thank you very much for talking to Egyptian
    television. Mr. President, you're coming to Egypt next week, and you are
    meeting with President Mubarak and a number of
    other Arab leaders. What are you going to tell them? What role do you
    see the Arab countries playing in the coming stage?

    [[Page 553]]

        The President. First, I want to thank President Mubarak for his
    hospitality. He has been telling me about the beauty of Sharm el-Sheikh
    for a long time, and now I'm going to get to see it firsthand.
        Q. You will love it.
        The President. I am looking forward to it.
        The first thing I want to do is to make it very clear to the leaders
    in the neighborhood that I am intent upon working toward a two-state
    solution in the Middle East--two states, Israel and Palestine, living
    side by side in peace. In other words, I want them to look me in the eye
    so they can see that I am determined to work to make this happen.
        I'm also going to remind them the United States cannot do this
    alone. We obviously need Israeli support. We obviously need the new
    Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority's ``Abu
    Mazen'' work and help. And we need countries like Egypt and
    Saudi Arabia and Jordan and others to work together to cut off funding
    for terrorist groups, to prevent the killers from moving around, to help
    provide security, and as a Palestinian state emerges, to support Prime
    Minister Abbas' regime with not only advice but, when necessary,
    development aid so an economy can start to grow in a Palestinian state.

    President's Commitment to Peace Process

        Q. Mr. President, let me follow up on that. You said you are
    determined to bring peace, you are committed, personally committed to
    the roadmap, and you are personally involved in the roadmap. That has
    sort of a different approach from the approach that the administration
    had adopted at the beginning, which was a hands-off approach, the peace
    process.
        The question is, how long would that commitment and involvement,
    personal involvement, last and how deep is it?
        The President. Well, first of all, I think it's not a fair
    characterization to say we were hands-off--quite the contrary. I took an
    assessment of what was possible and realized that it was impossible to
    achieve peace with Chairman Arafat. He's
    failed the Palestinian people in the past. My predecessor tried hard, and I watched very carefully what was
    tried at Camp David.
        Now, having said that, I also was working with the parties to try to
    set the conditions necessary for the emergence of a Palestinian
    government with whom we could work, so we wouldn't waste time, so that
    actually some progress could be made.
        So the people have got to know when I say something, I mean it.
    Hopefully by now people have learned that, that when George W. commits
    America to a project, we mean that, we don't have idle chit-chat, that
    we're serious about our intentions.
        Q. So the Arabs, or the people in the region shouldn't really be
    worrying about voices within your administration who are opposed to
    serious efforts by the United States----
        The President. Yes, they don't have to worry about that, because I'm
    going to put the effort forward.
        Q. So you don't listen to them?
        The President. Well, it sounds like they don't listen to me, because
    when I say something, I mean it. And I think President Mubarak knows that. And I'm going to refresh their memories
    about the kind of administration I try to run. When I say something, we
    actually go do it. And when I say that I'm going to be involved in the
    peace process, I mean I'm going to be involved in the peace process.
        Now, I understand it's going to be tough and difficult, but I
    believe it can happen. And I want to work toward achieving two states,
    so that the Palestinian suffering and humiliation ends.

    Egypt-U.S. Relations

        Q. And Mr. President, how do you see the future of the Egyptian-
    American relations, the strategical relations that binded those two
    countries over the past two decades?

    [[Page 554]]

        The President. Strong, I think, a good future. Listen, we have
    counted on Egypt, and Egypt counts on America. It's a mutually
    beneficial relationship. Throughout my Government, people deal with the
    Egyptian authorities, and I think it's in our interests, our national
    interest to keep a strong relationship with Egypt, and I intend to do
    so.
        Q. Right. We are looking forward to seeing you, Mr. President, in
    Sharm el-Sheikh. Thank you very much for your time.
        The President. It's going to be an exciting trip, and I look forward
    to the hospitality of the Egyptian people. And I want to assure the
    people of Egypt that the relationship is an important relationship
    between Egypt and the United States. And I want to assure your listeners
    that when I come to the region, I come with peace in mind and the
    possibilities of peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis is real
    in my mind, and I'm going to work toward that objective.

    Note: The interview was taped at 2:48 p.m. in the Library at the White
    House for later broadcast, and the transcript was embargoed for release
    by the Office of the Press Secretary until 5 p.m. In his remarks, the
    President referred to President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt; and Prime
    Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Chairman Yasser Arafat of the
    Palestinian Authority. A tape was not available for verification of the
    content of this interview.