    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [February 24, 2006]
    [Pages 355-357]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Pakistan Television
    February 24, 2006

    Pakistan-U.S. Relations

        Q. Mr. President, you are paying a visit to Pakistan at a very
    crucial juncture, at a time when changes are being experienced in the
    region. And people of Pakistan are pinning a lot of hope on your visit
    because they think many problems are there and your visit will play a
    very vital role in it. So what is your vision for making this trip more
    meaningful and productive?
        The President. The first thing that's really important for people to
    understand is that relations between our countries oftentimes depend on
    the relations between the leaders. In other words, President
    Musharraf and I can set a tone for the
    relationship because of our capacity to talk to each other. And it's
    important to be with each other and to share concerns and to talk about
    ideas. And so one object of the trip is to continue what is a good
    relationship. A good relationship between me and the President tends to
    permeate throughout our Government.
        Secondly, I--and one reason we've got a good relationship is we
    speak frankly with each other. Listen, I understand he has got a
    difficult job--made really difficult by thefact that people have tried
    to kill him, as you know. Extremists have decided that he is a obstacle
    to their vision and, therefore, have tried to kill him. And so he's not
    only a man who's shown great courage in the face of adversity, but he
    does have a vision of how to work together to achieve common objectives.

        Secondly, I want the people of Pakistan to know that the American
    people care about them, that ours is a relationship that's much bigger
    than just the war on terror; that when our Chinooks flew supplies into
    the rural part of Pakistan, it wasn't out of a sense of just, kind of,
    pure diplomacy, it was out of a sense of care and concern about the
    individuals. And I understand sometimes people may have--wonder about
    our motives, wonder about America's true concerns. And this will give me
    a chance to speak to the people of Pakistan and say, ``Look, we care for
    you,'' and remind people that in our country, there's great Pakistani
    Americans. We're a rich society because we've got people from around the
    world, including people who were born and raised in Pakistan and have
    now chosen

    [[Page 356]]

    America as a home. And so it's a trip that's of good will and
    importance.
        Q. Mr. President, there is a common perception that the relations
    between the United States and Pakistan have fluctuated in the past. So
    what measures would you suggest to make it more durable and sustainable
    for the days to come and the long-time perspective?
        The President. Yes, that's a really good question, because, again,
    we want people to understand this relationship is a vital relationship
    that will exist throughout the years. One way we can do that is increase
    trade opportunities before our countries--between our countries. And
    we'll be talking about a bilateral investment treaty.
        Secondly, student exchanges--and I understand there's been some
    issues with visas, and we've got to work through those, because I
    believe the more Pakistani youngsters who come to America to study will
    get to really see what America is all about. And as more Americans that
    go there to study--will see what Pakistan is all about.
        And so there's ways for us, beyond the war on terror--and by the
    way, the war on terror is a critical aspect of our relationship; don't
    get me wrong. But the other thing that's interesting and I think
    important for the people of Pakistan to know is that President
    Musharraf, in his democracy initiative, can
    show the whole Muslim world, and the world itself, that it's possible to
    have a religious--that is not extreme and a state that listens to people
    and responds to the needs of people. And that's a really important
    message that Pakistan can show the world. And I will, of course,
    continue to talk to my buddy and my friend about his goals for a
    democratic Pakistan.

    Kashmir

        Q. Mr. President, an early solution to the whole issue of Kashmir,
    about which you have also mentioned in your speech at the Asia Society--
    that is vital for the region. So, in your view, being a close friend of
    both Pakistan and India, what role the United States can play in
    resolving this issue?
        The President. Well, I started to play a role in my speech, and I
    spoke out on the issue and encouraged the President and the Prime Minister of India to continue down the road of solving the issue with
    a solution that's acceptable to all sides.
        And that's very important. There's a temptation sometimes for
    countries to try to jump in the middle of dialog. I believe a lasting
    solution can be achieved. I've seen the progress that's been made in the
    relationship from when I first became President. You might remember an
    early time in my Presidency, there was real tension. And now, all of a
    sudden, there's some very encouraging signs--transportation exchanges--
    not transportation exchanges--new transportation opportunities, trade.
    In just my discussions with both the President and the Prime Minister,
    there appears to be a different attitude. And part of it has to do with
    trust, but there's got to be tangible progress; I recognize that. And so
    I will use my trip to urge the leadership to continue solving this
    issue, with the idea that it can be solved.

    Pakistani Economy

        Q. Mr. President, what economic incentive would you offer to
    Pakistan during the forthcoming visit?
        The President. Well, trade is very important. And one of the steps
    on a robust trading relationship is what's called the Bilateral
    Investment Treaty, and that's an important part of the process. And
    believe me, every time the President talks to me, he's talking about
    markets, and I understand that. But he also understands that there's
    some steps needed before this robust trade.
        I must applaud the President's vision for the Pakistan economy. And
    in our world, politics, there's a lot of talk and a lot of, kind of, big
    noise. But the truth of the

    [[Page 357]]

    matter is, what matters is results. And Pakistan's economy is strong,
    and that's good news. That's really good news for the people of
    Pakistan. First and foremost, because, obviously, if people can make a
    living and do well, they can see the benefits of democracy--tangible
    benefits of living in a system where people are free to express
    themselves, but where the marketplace is the economic determinant.

    War on Terror

        Q. Coming to another subject, what strategy the United States has
    adopted for conquering terrorism in Pakistan, in a very holistic manner?
        The President. First of all, freedom defeats an ideology of hatred.
    And the enemy--I say ``the enemy'' because they'll kill--they--innocent
    Pakistanis; they kill innocent Americans. We need--more Muslims have
    died at the hands of Al Qaida and these extremists than anybody else.
    These--I don't view these people as religious people. I view them as
    people who have taken a great religion and kind of twisted it to meet
    their means.
        And so they have a vision. And it's not a vision--it's a vision that
    doesn't recognize the freedom of people to worship. It's a vision that
    doesn't understand the--that recognize the importance of women in
    society or free speech. And so the way to defeat that vision is with a
    better vision, more hopeful, and democracy provides that vision.
        We are in close coordination, of course, with the Government of
    Pakistan. We share a mutual interest. Nobody should want foreign
    fighters in their soil wreaking havoc. And it's hard for a part of a
    country to develop if there are people in that part of the country that
    are willing to kill innocent life to achieve an objective. And so we
    share short-term objectives with the Pakistani Government. We also share
    the long-term objective, and that is--that's freedom.
        Q. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
        The President. I'm looking forward to the trip. And I really
    appreciate you coming.
        Q. Thank you very much. I'm grateful and honored.
        The President. Thank you, sir.

    Note: The interview was taped at approximately 11:20 a.m. in the Map
    Room at the White House for later broadcast, and it was embargoed by the
    Office of the Press Secretary until 9 p.m. In his remarks, the President
    referred to President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan; and Prime Minister
    Manmohan Singh of India. A tape was not available for verification of
    the content of this interview.