    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [May 4, 2005]
    [Pages 734-736]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Lithuanian National Television
    May 4, 2005

    Lithuanian Support for Freedom in Ukraine

        Q. Mr. President, you thanked President Valdas Adamkus for his
    efforts spreading the freedom in neighboring countries. What else could
    Lithuania do spreading the freedom in this region?
        The President. Well, first, I did thank the President for his good work in the Ukraine. I thought it was a
    really great moment when the head of Lithuania got involved and
    encouraged the whole world to take notice of the freedom movement in the
    Ukraine. And by the way, that's a--the second election was a really
    important moment in the liberty movement. And I thanked him for that,
    genuinely so. And I want to say it again: I thank him for that.
        Lithuania serves as a great example of what is possible. After years
    of being subjugated to harsh rule, the Lithuanians are now free, and
    they're showing they can grow the economy and that people have a chance
    to express themselves and there's a vibrant society when you're free.
    And it has been hard; the transition from communism to a free democracy
    is a hard transition. And it's very important for the Lithuanians and
    the Government to share that experience with others who will be going
    through the same thing. And so I am very proud of Lithuania, and I'm
    proud to call her friend.

    Democracy in Belarus

        Q. Mr. President, you showed a strong support for democracy cause in
    Belarus. And what is your administration planning to do, given the fact
    that Belarus Presidential election is planned next year?

    [[Page 735]]

        The President. Well, first of all, we'll work with you, countries in
    the neighborhood, countries around--the free countries of the world, to
    insist there be free elections and make sure there's free elections.
    This is the last remaining dictatorship in Europe. And Condi Rice was in the neighborhood recently, as you know,
    Secretary of State Rice, and she brought up the subject. She met with
    people who are embracing the freedom movement in Belarus. I did as well,
    when I was in Slovakia.
        And so one of the roles that the United States can play is to speak
    clearly about the need for Belarus to be free and to work with people to
    insist that Belarus be free and, when the elections come, make sure the
    elections are free and have monitors and international observers. As you
    know, that made a big difference in the Ukraine, for example. No, it's--
    and I think--listen, I believe everybody wants to be free, and I believe
    if the world works together to achieve that, many people will be free.

    Lithuania's Role in Afghanistan

        Q. Lithuania is taking a concrete role in the reconstructing of
    Afghanistan.
        The President. Yes.
        Q. What kind of specific support do you ask--offer Lithuania?
        The President. Well, as you know, we've got for our partners in Iraq
    and--we've got some solidarity funds. We want to work through the
    foreign aid money to help Lithuania in her efforts to help build a
    better world. Again, I applaud the President.
    I thank the people of Lithuania for the support in Afghanistan.
        It's important that Afghanistan be free and peaceful; it will serve
    as an example for others. Again, I keep saying this to people, but
    you've just got to--the people of Lithuania have got to know how I feel.
    I believe everybody desires to be free, and I believe everybody deserves
    to be free. And societies will grow up around different customs and
    habits. I don't expect people to look like American form of government,
    but I do believe the world ought to work together to enable people to
    live free lives and then help countries, once they've become liberated
    from a tyrant, in the case of Afghanistan.
        And that's what Lithuania is doing. And I'm confident the
    President is doing so because--for the same
    reason I am, because he understands that free societies, in the long
    run, will make the world peaceful. And that's what we want for our
    children and our grandchildren; we want there to be peace.

    President's Upcoming Meeting With Russian President Putin

        Q. You're going to meet Mr. Putin. Will you repeat your words to him
    that the Second World War has brought the Soviet occupation to the
    Baltic States?
        The President. Yes, of course I'll remind him of that. I told him in
    Slovakia that I felt it was important for him to understand that my
    friends the leaders of the Baltics are upset. In other words, they don't
    view the end of World War II as a great moment of celebration, and
    there's a reason why. He took it in. Your President has decided not to go to Moscow. I respect him for
    that decision. Each leader in the Baltics has to make the decision
    they're comfortable with. And it was a very difficult period, and so
    this is a hard decision. And I respect the decisions of the three leaders.
        But I did make it clear to President Putin that there is great
    angst--people don't view this as a liberating moment--and hopefully that
    he will work with the Baltics in a cooperative way, because it really is
    in Russia's interest to have free countries and democracies on her
    border. The more democracies on the border of a country, the more
    peaceful the country will be.
        And so this is a bittersweet moment for a lot of people in America
    who are from the Baltics--a lot of Lithuanian Americans here, by the
    way--who, on the one hand,

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    are really happy the United States defeated nazism, on the other hand,
    saw their homeland taken over by a repressive communist regime.

    President's Previous Visit to Lithuania

        Q. Mr. President, thank you. It was a pleasure.
        The President. Great. And listen, I want to say one other thing: I
    want to thank the people of Lithuania for the warm reception Laura and I received the last time we were there. It was one
    of the great visits of my Presidency. I remember sitting in the town--
    standing in the town square, and it was very interesting, seeing a lot
    of older Lithuanians with tears in their eyes. I guess they never
    thought they'd see the day where the American President came. It touched
    my heart a lot. And then I saw a lot of young Lithuanians wondering what
    the heck the American President was all about--you know, they kind of--
    so it was a very touching visit.
        Thank you.

    Note: The interview was taped at 2:14 p.m. in the Map Room at the White
    House for later broadcast and was released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on May 5. In his remarks, the President referred to President
    Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania; and President Vladimir Putin of Russia.