    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [February 22, 2006]
    [Pages 321-326]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Pakistani Journalists
    February 22, 2006

        The President. Thanks for coming. I'm looking forward to going to
    Pakistan. I appreciate the courage of your President--I'm looking
    forward to my visit with President Musharraf. I'm trying to think of the number of times I have met
    with President Musharraf since I've been the President. I would say five
    or six, seven times. I remember our visit to Camp David.
        Q. I was there.
        The President. He is--were you there?
        Q. Yes.
        The President. I appreciate his
    courage. I appreciate the difficult job he has. I appreciate his
    commitment to joining the world in dealing with Islamic radicals who
    will murder innocent people to achieve an objective. I appreciate the
    fact that he has stood strong in the face of several attempts on his
    life. I also appreciate our relationship with Pakistan and his vision
    for a democracy in Pakistan. And so I'm looking forward to the trip. The
    Prime Minister was here several weeks ago. We
    had a very good talk. And he was laying the groundwork for what I think
    will be a constructive visit. Be glad to answer some questions.

    Reaction to Prophet Muhammad Depictions

        Q. Mr. President, I'll start with the cartoon controversy. You and
    your allies work very hard on bridging the gap between the Islamic and
    the Western world, but the publication of a few cartoons in a remote
    newspaper seems to have undone everything. Why?
        The President. First of all, I think it's very important for people
    around the world to know that a free press is important for a democratic
    state; a free press--for peaceful states as well. Free press holds
    people to account. Free press makes sure that there is a check and a
    balance on people in power. Free press also must be a responsible press.
        Secondly, I fully understand people taking--not liking the cartoons.
    On the other hand, I do not believe that people should use that as a
    pretext for violence, nor do I appreciate the fact that some are using--
    manipulating the anger over the cartoons to achieve political ends. And
    therefore, it's very important for governments to not allow policy to be
    set by those who are cynically manipulating the anger that some have
    felt over these cartoons.

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    Nuclear Energy in Developing Nations

        Q. Mr. President, you have announced this global nuclear energy
    initiative, and this is the one that you have offered to India also. And
    you have spoken about the countries--countries like India can also get a
    benefit of this initiative. Do you have Pakistan in mind--Pakistan
    already saying that this offer to India is India-specific? Is it India-
    specific, or Pakistan can also be included in this initiative?
        The President. Well, we are starting with India, and one of the
    primary reasons why is that India is in need of a diversification away
    from fossil fuels. India is consuming a lot of fossil fuel. That is
    driving up the price of--a part of the reasons why the price is rising.
    America uses a lot of fossil fuels. China is using more fossil fuels.
    India is using more fossil fuels, and it's affecting the price of energy
    in the United States and in India and in Pakistan. And so therefore, to
    the extent to which we can get these fast-growing, developing nations to
    use something other than fossil fuels, it's in the world's interest, and
    it's in Pakistan's interest as well.
        Now--and so I would not view--some say, ``Well, this is a zero-sum
    attitude by the United States,'' quite the contrary. It's the beginning
    of a policy that says, there will be a suppliers group of people who are
    capable of providing fuel stocks for a civilian nuclear power industry,
    countries that will then collect the spent fuel, reprocess it to be able
    to burn it in new types of reactors.
        The purpose of this whole initiative, and beginning with countries
    like India, is to recognize that alternative sources of energy are going
    to be important for the development of a clean world and a world that
    becomes substantially less reliant on nonrenewable sources of energy.
        Q. But Pakistan can't be included in that?
        The President. Well, as I said, this is just the beginning of a very
    long process.

    Kashmir

        Q. Mr. President, in your speech, you talked about Kashmir dispute,
    and you said that you would like India and Pakistan to take bilateral
    steps to resolve the dispute. Pakistan has made certain proposals, but
    they are not reciprocated by India. And it seems that this bilateral is
    not going anywhere; there's need for a third-party mediation or some
    sort of help. Do you have any specific proposals for that?
        The President. First, I'd like to make sure I clarify my statement
    for all to read. America supports a solution that is acceptable to all
    sides--since you're probably the only person in the room that paid
    attention to my speech--the speech, as you know, I said, ``to both
    sides.'' The language should be ``all sides,'' because it recognizes
    that a solution must be acceptable to India, Pakistan, and those living
    within Kashmir.
        Our position is one that says a dispute that has been so long in a
    nation's history can best be resolved when two nations make the
    determination to sit down and come up with a solution that is acceptable
    to all sides. Of course, during my discussions, I will encourage that
    dialog to go forward. I'm convinced that history changes, and as history
    changes, attitudes can change, circumstances change, and that we have a
    possibility to see this issue resolved by strong and courageous leaders.
        I'm pleased to see the amount of trade that's taking place between
    India and Pakistan. It's a substantial increase from July of '04 to July
    of '05. I thought that the--the new transportation routes between India
    and Pakistan are hopeful signs.
        And so the role of the United States, in our judgment, is one that
    will help lead to a settlement that is acceptable to all sides.

    Democracy in Pakistan

        Q. Mr. President, you also spoke about democracy in Pakistan; some
    distance has to be covered. And the Commonwealth has recently asked Mr.
    Musharraf--President

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    Musharraf that he must decide by 2007 whether he wants to continue as
    the Chief of Army Staff or as the President, one decision. Is the United
    States comfortable with a leader who is also the Chief of Army Staff in
    a democracy? Does it bother you that he--his contribution as the Chief
    of Army Staff?
        The President. I've had discussions with the President quite frequently about his vision for a democratic
    Pakistan. And I am--I believe that he is headed for a--continue to head
    for--on the road of reform. And he understands the pressures being put
    on him. As you said, the Commonwealth spoke, and I believe that he's
    committed to having a reform process come to fruition, and I believe
    he's committed to free and open elections.

    Iran

        Q. Mr. President, there is another issue that is particularly
    sensitive for both India and Pakistan, which is that Iran--India-Iran-
    Pakistan gas pipeline. As we said, India--need alternative sources of
    energy. So is it possible that--decision, allow the construction of the
    pipeline?
        The President. What's important is that India, Pakistan, and the
    United States work together to send a firm message to the Iranians that
    a development of a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. You know, we--energy
    supplies are important for India, and they're important for Pakistan. I
    fully understand that. But a country which has been unwilling to adhere
    to treaties that it's agreed to, a country the President of which has said the destruction of Israel is in--
    part of foreign policy, a country which has not told the truth when it
    comes to whether or not they're enriching uranium or not, is a country
    that free nations need to deal with in a diplomatic way. And the best
    thing that the Iranians can hear is a unified message from all of us.
        Q. Does it mean that at some date you could decide to take military
    action against Iran? Would you----
        The President. Diplomacy is our first option.

    War on Terror

        Q. Mr. President, the recent incident in which U.S. military made a
    strike in the Pakistani tribal area in the Bajaur area. This has
    happened before also, and there was some outrage in Pakistan that there
    was no remorse from the U.S. Government on the action. These actions,
    when they are taken, is it because--the unilateral action that the folks
    on the other side do not trust their colleagues on the side of the
    border, or it's the timing, is it intelligence, or the lack of
    operational capabilities on the side--on the Pakistani side, that such
    actions are taken?
        The President. We are--we're partners in the war against terrorists,
    some of whom tried to kill your President.
    We coordinate. We're allies, and we coordinate--nor do we talk about
    sensitive antiterror operations. Of course, the United States mourns the
    loss of innocent life.

    Pakistan-U.S. Trade Relations/Earthquake in Pakistan

        Q. Mr. President, in your speech, you also--you spoke about
    importance of prosperity, and you talked about offering business--
    industry in Pakistan. Do you have anything specific in mind, such as
    Pakistan has been trying for some time to get an FTA?
        The President. First step is a BIT, and we will discuss that--we
    will continue to discuss that. We discussed that during the Prime
    Minister's trip, and we will continue to pursue
    this avenue toward opening up additional opportunities, commercial
    opportunities between our respective countries.
        First things first, however--there have been some preliminary
    discussions, as well, about perhaps some trading arrangements in the
    Western Provinces of Pakistan. These are preliminary discussions. We
    think it makes sense to have a discussion. Such

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    an agreement, if--a commercial arrangement, investment arrangement would
    be beneficial not only to Pakistan but to Afghanistan as well. And so
    there's a variety of discussions we're having to continue to open up
    ways to encourage investment and commerce.
        I must--I applaud the President's economic reform package. It's
    yielded some strong results. Pakistan's economy is growing, and that's
    positive. You know, one of the key things is that people see the
    benefits of democracy--the tangible benefits of democracy, besides being
    able to express themselves. Today I also referred to the Pakistan press,
    you might recall. I think I referred to you as lively, meaning that--at
    least the Pakistan press I've been exposed to has never been afraid to
    ask any questions, or never been intimidated, particularly with the open
    press conference. And I suspect it might be the same when I go next
    week.
        So I want to talk about reconstruction aid right quick before you
    finish. It's very important for the people of Pakistan to--and this is
    where trade matters as well, and commerce matters as well, that they see
    that the United States is interested in the lives of the citizens. You
    know, sometimes in the way things get reported, our policies get
    disconnected from people's lives improving. And we want that to happen,
    because a prosperous Pakistan is--will be a great example, a country
    that believes in markets and educating people to fill the jobs of the
    21st century, and a country that continues to deal with rules and
    regulations that make investment difficult at times, will show what's
    possible. And that's important.
        When the disaster struck, it took our Government no time to move.
    And we moved a lot of equipment and a lot of manpower and a lot of aid,
    because we cared about the people that were suffering. I remember
    President Musharraf calling me on the phone
    at one point to thank me. And it was a genuine thanks, because we were--
    as you know, we transferred a lot choppers, which were necessary to be
    able to move manpower and aid into remote regions of your country.
        He also asked, would we make sure that beyond the recovery effort,
    that there was a commitment to help rebuild. And my answer was, yes. And
    the reason--it's important for your readers to understand, I said, yes,
    because this country cares about the families whose lives were turned
    upside down by this disaster. When we heard 73,000 people lost their
    life, it touched our hearts and our conscience. When we realized over 2
    million people lost their homes, we cared about those who had been
    displaced.
        And so our commitment is to the people of Pakistan, and it's a
    genuine, real, tangible commitment that the people of the country can
    see. I understand there's politics, and there's--there's people
    expressing their opinions. But one thing they can't argue with--those
    who want to be critical of the United States can't argue with a genuine,
    heartfelt commitment to the improvement of the lives of those folks in
    Pakistan who suffered a--suffered mightily as a result of the natural
    disaster.
        Final question, Kamran. Kamran.
        Q. Yes, Kamran.
        The President. Kamran.

    War on Terror/U.S. Visa Policy

        Q. Mr. President, being an ally, there are some expectations. We
    captured the top lot of the Al Qaida, and 300 Pakistani soldiers died.
    There is a lot of expectation in Pakistan--you spoke about bilateral
    investment treaty and stuff, access to the market--more on access to the
    market. Are we moving towards free trade?
        And secondly, Pakistani students, sir, having terrible problems
    getting visas to the U.S. And that's very important--folks not getting
    to the U.S. for education, and can you help us?
        The President. A couple of points--one, there's no question that the
    Musharraf

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    Government is committed to working to get Al Qaida brought to justice.
    It was Al Qaida that tried to kill him more than one time. And he also
    recognizes Al Qaida's presence is destabilizing. Al Qaida doesn't care
    about the people of Pakistan. They don't care about helping people get a
    good education, realize the vast potential of Pakistan. They're there to
    create chaos and murder. And so I appreciate that, and I appreciate his
    firm resolve.
        Secondly, we have been--there is a tangible benefit for the
    Government and the security of Pakistan in dealing with--using--sharing
    with, providing equipment. We resolved a long-simmering issue in the F-
    16s. I recognize it has been put on hold, but the Government's
    commitment is a real commitment. It changed policy, as you recall. It
    reversed something that took place in the past.
        The BIT is a beginning of--it's a step toward what you talked about,
    advancing--additional trading.
        I agree with you on the issue of education. First of all, there are
    a lot of Pakistan citizens here, and a lot of Pakistani Americans that
    are making vital contributions to our country, proud United States
    citizens who honor their heritage.
        I agree with you that there ought to be more student exchanges. But
    this is not an issue just for Pakistani students; this is an issue for
    students from other parts of the world as well. We had a very
    restrictive visa policy right after 9/11. It was a--our visa policy was
    a natural reaction to a terrible event that took place. But by--it
    didn't take me long to realize that we were missing a great opportunity
    to have students from Pakistan see the real America. And there's no
    better place, no better way in many ways to see America than to come as
    a student, study at our institutions, but more importantly, interface
    with people the same age and realize that ours is an accepting culture.
        Q. Absolutely.
        The President. And we welcome Muslims. And we welcome people that
    may be different, and that there's no better ambassador for the American
    way of life and the attitudes--the true attitudes of the American
    citizens than to have somebody here who has seen firsthand what America
    is like and then go back home. Word of mouth is a pretty significant
    antidote to some of the propaganda that is being played out for others
    to hear. And so I agree with you, and we're--Condi Rice is very much involved with constantly revisiting
    the visa issue--student visa issue, in particular, and not only
    encouraging students to come here, but once they're here, not making it
    difficult for them to complete their education. In other words, there
    are some restrictions even after the students got here.
        Finally, we are also--along these lines announced a very strong
    language initiative so that more people are capable of--will be capable
    of conversing with people in parts of the world where, frankly, we
    haven't had that much conversation in their native language--all aimed
    at creating a hospitable world. And this trip will help send a message
    to the people of Pakistan: One, we're proud of the Pakistani Americans
    who live here; two, we want this relation to continue on. It's a vital
    relationship. And as I say, I am pleased with my personal relationship
    with President Musharraf. I try to put
    myself in his shoes. He is--he's got a tough assignment. On the one
    hand, he's got people trying to kill him, and on the other hand, he's
    taking this country toward--further down the road of democracy, and in
    so doing, is dealing with--as we speak, dealing with people who are
    taking advantage of a free press.
        And as I mentioned to you, I understand why people are reacting to
    that. It's very important, however, that they react in a way that does
    honor to the process and not resort to violence and destruction and, in
    some countries, to death.

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        And so looking forward to it. See you all there, I hope.

    President's Upcoming Visit to Pakistan

        Q. Mr. President, one last----
        The President. Yes.
        Q. About the visit, can you state if you ever think of canceling the
    visit----
        The President. No, I'm not going to--never thought about canceling
    it.
        Q. No?
        The President. Of course not.
        Q. Because----
        The President. No, zero, zero chance.

    U.S. Visa Policy

        Q. So we are a good word for the students, they may get visas?
        The President. Well, I think we're working it very hard to make
    sure. Obviously, Ambassador Crocker and the
    Embassy there is the conscience. I will pass this on to Condi when I talk to her just to make sure that she's--
    she's constantly calibrating and looking at the issue. We hear--believe
    we've had a lot of--there are a lot of folks here that--in America, and
    a lot of Embassies around the world hear from respective governments
    when there's backlogs and slowness. These voices that are concerned
    about whether or not there's access to our universities are heard loud
    and clear. Believe me, it's----
        Q. Mr. President, best antidote is exposing people to American
    people.
        The President. There you go.
        Q. That's the best antidote you have.
        The President. Well, thank you.
        Q. Don't restrict that.
        The President. Don't worry. Glad you're here. Good job.

    Note: The interview was taped at 2:11 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, the President referred to President Pervez
    Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Pakistan; and President
    Mahmud Ahmadi-nejad of Iran. A tape was not available for verification
    of the content of this interview.