    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 22, 2004]
    [Pages 1105-1108]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Peter
    Medgyessy of Hungary and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    June 22, 2004

        President Bush. Before I welcome the Prime Minister to the Oval
    Office, I will have a statement; he will have a statement; we'll answer
    two questions per side.
        Q. Mr. President----
        President Bush. Hold on a second, please. I'll have a statement; he
    will have a statement; and then we'll have two questions per side. I'll
    call upon an American reporter, and he'll call upon a Hungarian
    reporter.
        Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.
        We have just had another meaningful discussion about a lot of
    issues, starting with our bilateral relations. Relations between Hungary
    and the United States are strong, and I want to thank the Prime Minister
    for that and for your friendship.
        I told the Prime Minister I appreciate a man who sticks by his word.
    When the Prime Minister gives you his word, he means it. He is a strong
    leader for Hungary. He is a strong ally for the United States. More
    importantly, he is a strong visionary for free and peaceful societies.

    [[Page 1106]]

        I appreciate very much, Mr. Prime Minister, the sacrifices of the
    Hungarian people when it comes to making the world more secure and
    peaceful. Your great country lost a brave soldier. I extend the deepest
    condolences to the family of that soldier from the United States of
    America. I appreciate his sacrifice, and I want his folks to know that
    we will complete our task and the world will be more peaceful and more
    free because Iraq will be free and peaceful. I want to thank you very
    much for understanding the hopes and aspirations of the Iraqi people.
        I also appreciate our discussion about NATO. We're Allies in an
    important Alliance, and our jobs are to make sure that NATO fulfills its
    mission, which is a hopeful mission, to bring stability and peace
    throughout the world.
        I want to thank you for your briefing of the recent EU meetings. As
    you know, I'm going to Ireland to visit with the leadership of the EU,
    and I want to thank you for giving me a good, strong briefing on the EU.
        And finally, we had a really interesting discussion about the
    Hungarian economy. The Prime Minister has got a very good vision about
    making sure that the Hungarian workforce is educated for the jobs of the
    21st century. We talked about how we can work together on high-tech
    transfers and educational transfers. I told the Prime Minister that the
    decisions he's making for his economy are very important in attracting
    U.S. capital, that Hungary is a place that is a stable country based
    upon rule of law and transparency and that we look forward to working
    together to make sure our trade is vibrant as well as travel between our
    countries is expedited.
        We have talked about a visa policy that, admittedly, has created a
    problem in Hungary. The Prime Minister came and told me directly he
    expects me and my administration to do everything we can to expedite
    travel between Hungary and the United States--I appreciated your very
    strong statement on behalf of the Hungarian people--and I assured him
    that we will work as best we can to make sure the visa system works like
    we want it to work, because in America we welcome people from all parts
    of the world. We welcome your business leaders. We welcome your
    students. We welcome your artists. It's in our Nation's interest that we
    have a full interchange and exchange with the Hungarian people.
        So I want to thank you for coming, Mr. Prime Minister. You're a
    good, strong leader and a good friend, and welcome.
        Prime Minister Medgyessy. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for
    the opportunity that just within 2 years, this is the second opportunity
    to meet. American-Hungarian relations can enter a new stage now. The
    past 2 years could prove that we are reliable and predictable partners,
    and we can step beyond that now.
        And as it's been mentioned by the President right now, we can make
    real progress in terms of technology cooperation, technology transfer,
    research and development, education. And the good development of
    economic relations is extremely important for Hungary.
        Thank you very much, Mr. President, for bringing up the visa issue.
    I especially requested the President to look into this matter, how this
    can be expedited. American-Hungarian relations are entering a new
    dimension now, because we have become members of the European Union,
    which means--which represents a new equality.
        I was truly delighted to see that in the European Council meeting,
    transatlantic relations were very important. And there is a true
    intention on the part of Europe to find the fastest possible solution
    for the Iraq issue, and I could feel in that issue that everybody is
    looking forward now.
        Mr. President referred to the death of the Hungarian soldier which
    is, of course, very painful to all of us. Nevertheless, I could confirm
    to the President that Hungary's commitment to the presence in Iraq

    [[Page 1107]]

    is unchanged, and we want to promote stabilization. Our troops will not
    be removed before their term, and we are more than happy to participate
    in processes that can promote the transfer of stabilization,
    democratization--[inaudible].
        I thank you very much, Mr. President, once again for the
    opportunity, because this can give another impetus, a new impetus to
    American-Hungarian relations.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you.
        Scott [Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press].

    Treatment of Prisoners

        Q. Thanks, Mr. President. Secretary Rumsfeld expressed some concern
    last week that a perception might be taking hold that your
    administration had condoned or authorized torture of prisoners.
    Specifically, he worried that might give other countries an excuse to
    torture American civilians, American soldiers. I'm wondering if that's
    what prompted you to release these memos, these documents, and your
    deliberations? And also do you think we need an independent commission
    to look into this whole thing?
        President Bush. Let me make very clear the position of my Government
    and our country. We do not condone torture. I have never ordered
    torture. I will never order torture. The values of this country are such
    that torture is not a part of our soul and our being.
        The Prime Minister brought up the Abu Ghraib situation. I assured
    him that these soldiers do not represent what Americans think. And I
    also assured him that unlike a society run by a tyrant, the world will see a open, fair trial for those
    accused of breaking U.S. military law.

    Hungary's Role in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, Prime Minister, what is the value of the
    contribution of the small countries to the--[inaudible]? Why is it
    important that they be there in the coalition?
        President Bush. In Iraq? The--what's important for the Iraqis to
    know is that the world stands with them as a free society emerges.
    Hungary is a society which is a free society. It's a society which has
    rejected totalitarianism and has now welcomed democracy and rule of law
    and human rights and human dignity. And it's very important for the
    Iraqi people to be able to share those values with people beyond just
    the United States. I mean, Hungary is such a great example of what is
    possible in a free society. And plus, it helps to have troops fulfill
    certain missions as we help rebuild Iraq. It's more than just a symbol.
    These troops are providing a very important role as Iraq emerges from a
    society run and brutalized by a tyrant to a
    society in which people are able to realize their hopes and aspirations.
        And it's happening. I told the Prime Minister I was very pleased
    with Prime Minister Allawi's strength and his
    vision and his strong statements, particularly in the face of these
    brutal terrorist attacks. He's not going to be intimidated by these
    killers, you see. He understands what a free society will mean. We're
    not going to be intimidated by the killers, either. Freedom is too
    precious and too valuable. And free societies will end up making the
    world a more peaceful place, which is my hope, and it's the Prime
    Minister's hope as well.
        Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

    South Korea's Role in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, in the wake of the beheading of the South Korean
    national, what are you doing to ensure South Korea sticks to its plan to
    send 3,000 troops to Iraq?
        President Bush. I haven't had a chance to speak to President Roh yet, but I would hope that President Roh would
    understand that the free world cannot be intimidated by the brutal
    action of these barbaric people.
        See, what they're trying to do is they're trying to shake our will
    and our confidence.

    [[Page 1108]]

    They're trying to get us to withdraw from the world so that they can
    impose their dark vision on people, and remember what their dark vision
    is like. Remember what it was like for a young girl to grow up with the
    Taliban in Afghanistan. This was a society where young girls weren't
    even allowed to go to school. It's a society where people were
    humiliated in public. This is a society where people couldn't worship
    freely. This was a dark and dismal society. And that's their vision of
    the world. In order to impose their vision, they want us to leave. They
    want us to cower in the face of their brutal killings.
        And the United States will not be intimidated by these people
    because we believe strongly in freedom and liberty and human rights and
    human dignity, freedom to worship as you see fit, freedom to speak your
    mind. And I believe President Roh understands
    that.
        Prime Minister Medgyessy. And we share the same values with the
    United States.

    Hungarian Troops in Iraq/U.N. Security Council Resolution on Iraq

        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, has it been brought up that perhaps the
    mandate of Hungarian troops would be prolonged after the 31st of
    December? Did you touch upon that issue?
        Prime Minister Medgyessy. We were talking about how delighted we
    were about the Security Council resolution both in Europe and everywhere
    else, that we welcome the intention that gradually the conditions are
    created for the Iraqi people to take over control over the government.
    And in the fairness of that process, we shall decide whatever should
    happen with Hungarian soldiers there.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:54 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to former President Saddam Hussein of
    Iraq; Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi interim government; and
    President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea. Prime Minister Medgyessy spoke in
    Hungarian, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter.