    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [February 9, 2005]
    [Pages 190-193]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President Aleksander
    Kwasniewski of Poland and an Exchange
    With Reporters
    February 9, 2005

        President Bush. The President and I will have opening statements.
    I'll answer a question from the American press; he'll answer a
    question--or somebody will answer a question from the Polish press. And
    we'll do this twice.
        Thank you all for coming. Welcome back to the Oval Office. It is my
    great pleasure to welcome my friend back here to discuss important
    international policy and policy related to our bilateral relationship.
    We've discussed and will continue to discuss very important issues.
    We'll talk about, of course, Iraq and our mutual desire to train Iraqis
    so that they can defend their own freedom. We'll talk about my trip to
    Europe. I'm looking forward to advice from my friend.
        We'll continue to discuss the Ukraine, and let me just step back and
    say that I'm impressed by the leadership of President Kwasniewski when
    it came to the Ukraine. He showed remarkable leadership. And the people
    of Ukraine are better for it, and the world appreciates that, and I
    appreciate it.
        We'll spend time continuing to talk about the importance of our
    bilateral relationship, whether it be trade and commerce or whether it
    be the ability of Polish folks to travel to the United States of
    America. The visa policy of the country has been under review for a
    while, and now we've got a way forward to make trips to America easier
    for Polish citizens.
        I want to thank you for your leadership on that issue, Mr. Prime
    Minister. I mean, Mr. President. Excuse me. I demoted him. [Laughter]
    Well, it's not a demotion.
        President Kwasniewski. No.
        President Bush. It's a lateral transfer. [Laughter] Anyway, I am
    thrilled you're here and look forward to seeing you not only over lunch
    but in Brussels on my trip. Welcome.
        President Kwasniewski. Thank you. So I should speak Polish in the
    beginning.
        Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to
    express my joy that this is my fourth visit already to the White House,
    visiting President George W. Bush.

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        I want to tell you that we talked about Polish-American cooperation,
    which has now a strategic, lasting character. And in the recent years,
    we have had many successful events in cooperation with the United
    States.
        During our meeting today, we talked about Iraq. Poland participates
    in the stabilization mission in Iraq, and we are full of optimism
    thinking about that country and about the successful completion of our
    mission.
        We have been talking about the transatlantic relationships, and we
    are very happy that America is getting closer and is having better and
    better relations with our European neighbors and also with Poland. We
    talked about bilateral cooperation, and both President Bush and myself
    talked about the adoption of the roadmap that is going to solve the visa
    problem. And it implies concrete decisions that are going to be made in
    relation to the visa regime, doing away with some old information--old
    data, statistics concerning the immigration violation from before 1989,
    easing the procedures, review of different--[inaudible]--that are
    connected to the visa system, and further cooperation with the Congress
    in order to facilitate the process as much as possible.
        We hope that the roadmap that has been accepted will be a very good
    solution. Poland will have to observe many rules, and it will bring
    about a final doing away with this problem that has been present in our
    talks for many years now.
        I would like also to say that as far as the thank-you words
    concerning Ukraine are concerned, everything wouldn't be possible
    without the participation of the United States. And without the United
    States role, it wouldn't be possible to finish the crisis situation in
    Ukraine and strengthen democracy in that country. It is the success of
    Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, but it is also the success of all of
    us.
        President Bush. Very good, thank you. Deb [Deb Riechmann, Associated
    Press].

    Iran

        Q. Mr. President, Secretary Rice said today in Brussels that the
    United States would not tolerate foot-dragging by Tehran on accounting
    for their nuclear programs. Is time running out for Iran to come to
    terms with the European negotiators?
        President Bush. The Iranians just need to know that the free world
    is working together to send a very clear message: Don't develop a
    nuclear weapon. And the reason we're sending that message is because
    Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a very destabilizing force in the
    world.
        And I look forward to going over to Europe to continue discussing
    this issue with our allies. It's important we speak with one voice. I'm
    very pleased with the response that European leaders have given to Dr.
    Rice on this issue. She has made--her trip,
    by the way, has been a fantastic trip. I want to thank Aleksander, the
    President, for being so gracious to her on the first leg of her trip
    and--or one of the first legs on her trip. But the message is, is that
    we're going to speak with one voice, and we'll continue to do so.
        Yes, Polish----
        President Kwasniewski. Yes, please, Polish press.

    Visa Policy

        Q. I have a question to President Bush. Are you going to--concerning
    the visa problem, are you going to support the legislation being
    introduced in the Congress? I talked to some Congressmen; they say they
    keep receiving mixed signals from the White House concerning the issue.
        President Bush. Well, we've got a way forward to answer the
    questions of a lot of the Members of the United States Congress to get
    this issue solved. And the President has been very hard at work in
    helping develop a roadmap that is fair to the Polish people. And I adopt
    the principles and accept the recommendations of the roadmap, and that
    will become the basis for legislation.

    [[Page 192]]

        Adam [Adam Entous, Reuters].

    Medicare Drug Benefit

        Q. Mr. President, Mark McClellan is now acknowledging the new
    Medicare drug benefit will cost $720 billion, far more than the White
    House initially said. Will you consider steps to lower the cost? Might
    Medicare be a bigger problem now than Social Security?
        President Bush. Well, there's no question that there is a unfunded
    liability inherent in Medicare that we're--Congress and the
    administration is going to have to deal with over time. Obviously, I've
    chosen to deal with Social Security first. And once we accomplish--once
    we modernize and save Social Security for a young generation of
    Americans, then it will be time to deal with the unfunded liabilities in
    Medicare. The same issue that deals with--creates a problem with Social
    Security creates a problem for Medicare. In other words, baby boomers
    are retiring with fewer payers going into the system. And I look forward
    to working with them.
        Listen, the reforms haven't even begun yet. I signed a piece of
    legislation last year, and the major reforms of providing prescription
    drugs for our seniors kicks in next year. And I look forward to watching
    those reforms take effect. I'm convinced they'll have cost savings for
    our society, and I know it will make the life of our seniors better.
        And so we look forward to working with Congress to make sure that
    the Medicare reforms that are in place are fully enacted, and the people
    can realize the benefits of them.

    U.S. Aid to Poland's Armed Forces

        President Kwasniewski. [Inaudible]
        Q. I've got a question to President Bush.
        President Bush. Yes, well, that's generally the way it works.
        Q. Sir, will the United States increase its assistance in
    modernization of Polish armed forces?
        President Bush. We--Aleksander and I, the President and I, talked
    about that. He has been very insistent that--about our mil-to-mil
    relations. He's been very forthright and very clear, and I appreciate
    his leadership on this issue. I am--intend--I say ``intend'' because our
    system is one where I make requests; Congress has to appropriate the
    money. But we will make requests that will enable there to be a mil-to-
    mil expenditure to help Poland modernize and fulfill its mission of
    about $100 million this year.
        Now, again, I repeat, I don't get to write the checks in the
    American system. The Government--the Congress does that. But I get to
    put out requests. And I assured the President that would be--when it's
    all said and done, that would be the request that we would put forward.
    I'm confident the Congress will respond.
        Listen, Poland has been a fantastic ally, because the President and
    the people of Poland love freedom. And I know the people of your country
    must have been thrilled when the millions of people went to the polls
    and showed that people from all parts of the world want to live in a
    free society, just like your great nation has shown the world over the
    last decade.
        So, Mr. President, welcome. Thanks for coming. I value our
    friendship.
        President Kwasniewski. Thank you, Mr. President.
        President Bush. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Kwasniewski spoke partly in Polish, and those portions
    of his remarks were translated by an interpreter.

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