[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[February 22, 2006]
[Pages 314-321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks to the Asia Society
February 22, 2006
Thank you all. Madam President--it's
got a nice ring to it. [Laughter] Thank you for your kind introduction;
thank you for inviting me here. I'm honored to be here with the members
of the Asia Society as you celebrate your 50th anniversary.
I came here today to talk about America's relationship with two key
nations in Asia: India and Pakistan. These nations are undergoing great
changes, and those changes are being felt all across the world. More
than five centuries ago, Christopher Columbus set out for India and
proved the world was round. Now some look at India's growing economy and
say that that proves that the world is flat. [Laughter] No matter how
you look at the world, our relationship with these countries are
important. They're important for our economic security, and they're
important for our national security.
I look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Singh in India and President Musharraf in Pakistan. We will discuss ways that our nations can
work together to make our world safer and more prosperous by fighting
terrorism, advancing democracy, expanding free and fair trade, and
meeting our common energy needs in a responsible way.
I appreciate Ambassador Holbrooke.
I appreciate your service to our country. Thanks for being the chairman
of the Asia Society. Leo Daly is the
chairman of the Asia Society of Washington. Leo, thank you. It's good to
see you.
I appreciate the members of the diplomatic corps that have joined us
today, in particular, Ambassador Sen from India
and Ambassador Karamat from Pakistan.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to come and hear the
President give a talk.
Fifty years ago, many Asian nations were still colonies; today,
Asians are in charge of their own destinies. Fifty years ago, there were
only a handful of democracies in Asia; today, there are nearly a dozen.
Fifty years ago, most of Asia was mired in hopeless poverty; today, its
economies are engines of prosperity. These changes have been dramatic,
and as the Asian continent grows in freedom and opportunity, it will be
a source of peace and stability and prosperity for all the world.
The transformation of Asia is beginning to improve the lives of
citizens in India and Pakistan, and the United States welcomes this
development. The United States has not always enjoyed close relations
with Pakistan and India. In the past, the cold war and regional tensions
kept us apart, but today, our interests and values are bringing us
closer together. We share a common interest in promoting open economies
that creates jobs and opportunities for our people. We have acted on
common values to deliver compassionate assistance to people who have
been devastated by natural disasters. And we face a common threat in
Islamic extremism. Today I'm going to discuss America's long-term
interests and goals in this important part of the world and how the
United States can work together with India and Pakistan to achieve them.
The first stop on my trip will be India. India is the world's
largest democracy. It is home to more than a billion people--that's more
than three times the population of the United States. Like our own
country,
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India has many different ethnic groups and religious traditions. India
has a Hindu majority and about 150 million Muslims in that country.
That's more than in any other country except Indonesia and Pakistan.
India's Government reflects its diversity. India has a Muslim
President and a Sikh Prime Minister. I look forward to meeting with both of them. India
is a good example of how freedom can help different people live together
in peace. And this commitment to secular government and religious
pluralism makes India a natural partner for the United States.
In my meetings with Prime Minister Singh,
we'll discuss ways to advance the strategic partnership that we
announced last July. Through this partnership, the United States and
India are cooperating in five broad areas.
First, the United States and India are working together to defeat
the threat of terrorism. Like the American people, the people of India
have suffered directly from terrorist attacks on their home soil. To
defeat the terrorists, our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are
cooperating on a regular basis to make air travel more secure, increase
the security of cyberspace, and prevent bioterrorist attacks. Our two
governments are sharing vital information on suspected terrorists and
potential threats, and these cooperative efforts will make the Indian
Government more effective as a partner in the global war on terror and
will make the people in both our countries more secure.
Secondly, the United States and India are working together to
support democracy around the world. Like America, India overcame
colonialism to establish a free and independent nation. President
Franklin Roosevelt supported India in its quest for democracy, and now
our two nations are helping other nations realize the same dream.
Last year we launched the Global Democracy Initiative, which is a
joint venture between India and the United States to promote democracy
and development across the world. Under this initiative, India and the
United States have taken leadership roles in advancing the United
Nations Democracy Fund. The fund will provide grants to governments and
civil institutions and international organizations to help them
administer elections, fight corruption, and build the rule of law in
emergency democracy--in emerging democracies. We're also encouraging
India to work directly with other nations that will benefit from India's
experience of building a multiethnic democracy that respects the rights
of religious minorities.
India's work in Afghanistan is a good example of India's commitment
to emerging democracies. India has pledged $565 million to help the
Afghan people repair the infrastructure and get back on their feet. And
recently, India announced it would provide an additional $50 million to
help the Afghans complete their National Assembly building. India has
trained National Assembly staff, and it's developing a similar program
for the Assembly's elected leaders. The people of America and India
understand that a key part of defeating the terrorists is to replace
their ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope. And so we will
continue to work together to advance the cause of liberty.
Third, the United States and India are working together to promote
global prosperity through free and fair trade. America's economic
relationship with India is strong, and it's getting better. Last year,
our exports to India grew by more than 30 percent. We had a trade
surplus of $1.8 billion in services. India is now one of the fastest-
growing markets for American exports, and the growing economic ties
between our two nations are making American companies more competitive
in the global marketplace. And that's helping companies create good jobs
here in America.
The growing affluence of India is a positive development for our
country. America
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accounts for 5 percent of the world's population. That means 95 percent
of our potential customers live outside our borders. More than a billion
of them live in India. We welcome the growing prosperity of the Indian
people and the potential market it offers for America's goods and
services.
When trade is free and fair, it benefits all sides. At the end of
World War II, the United States chose to help Germany and Japan recover.
America understood then that as other nations prosper, their growing
wealth brings greater stability to their regions and more opportunities
for products Americans manufacture and grow. The same is true today with
developing nations such as India. As India's economy expands, it means a
better life for the Indian people and greater stability for the region.
It means a bigger market for America's businesses and workers and
farmers.
The area of America's relationship with India that seems to receive
the most attention is outsourcing. It's true that a number of Americans
have lost jobs because companies have shifted operations to India. And
losing a job is traumatic. It's difficult. It puts a strain on our
families. But rather than respond with protectionist policies, I believe
it makes sense to respond with educational polices to make sure that our
workers are skilled for the jobs of the 21st century.
We must also recognize that India's growth is creating new
opportunities for our businesses and farmers and workers. India's middle
class is now estimated at 300 million people. Think about that. That's
greater than the entire population of the United States. India's middle
class is buying air-conditioners, kitchen appliances, and washing
machines, and a lot of them from American companies like GE and
Whirlpool and Westinghouse. And that means their job base is growing
here in the United States of America. Younger Indians are acquiring a
taste for pizzas from Domino's--[laughter]--Pizza Hut. And Air India
ordered 68 planes valued at more than $11 billion from Boeing, the
single largest commercial airplane order in India's civilian aviation
history. Today, India's consumers associate American brands with quality
and value, and this trade is creating opportunity here at home.
Americans also benefit when U.S. companies establish research
centers to tap into India's educated workforce. This investment makes
American companies more competitive globally. It lowers the cost for
American consumers. Texas Instruments is a good example. Today, Texas
Instruments employs 16,000 workers in America. It gets more than 80
percent of its revenues from sales overseas. More than 20 years ago,
Texas Instruments opened a center in Bangalore, which is India's Silicon
Valley. They did so to assist in analog chip design and digital chip
design and related software development. The company says that their
research centers in countries like India allow them to run their design
efforts around the clock. They bring additional brainpower to help solve
problems and provide executives in the United States with critical
information about the needs of their consumers and customers overseas.
These research centers help Texas Instruments to get their products
to market faster. It helps Texas Instruments become more competitive in
a competitive world. It makes sense. The research centers are good for
India, and they're good for workers here in the United States.
In the past decade, India has made dramatic progress in opening its
markets to foreign trade and investment, but there's more work to be
done. India needs to continue to lift its caps on foreign investment, to
make its rules and regulations more transparent, and to continue to
lower its tariffs and open its markets to American agricultural
products, industrial goods, and services. We'll continue to work for
agreements on these economic and regulatory reforms to ensure that
America's goods and services are treated fairly. My attitude is this: If
the rules are fair, I believe our
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companies and our farmers and our entrepreneurs can compete with
anybody, anytime, anywhere.
India is an important--is a market for our products. India is also
important as a partner in opening up world markets. As a new nation,
India emphasized self-sufficiency and adopted strong protectionist
policies. During this period, its economy stagnated and poverty grew.
India now recognizes that a brighter future for its people depends on a
free and fair global trading order. Today, the Doha round of trade talks
at the World Trade Organization provides the greatest opportunity to
lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and to boost economic
growth across the world. The WTO members' aim is to complete the Doha
round by the end of this year. India has played an important leadership
role in the Doha talks, and we look to India to continue to lead as we
work together for an ambitious agreement on services and manufacturing
and agriculture.
Fourth, the United States and India are working together to improve
human health and the environment and address the issue of climate
change. So we've joined together to create the Asia-Pacific Partnership
on Clean Development and Climate. Together with Australia and China and
Japan and South Korea, we will focus on practical ways to make the best
practices and latest energy technologies available to all--things like--
technologies like zero-emission, coal-fired plants. As nations across
the region adopt these practices and technologies, they will make their
factories and powerplants cleaner and more efficient. We look forward to
being an active partner in this partnership.
Fifth, the United States and India will work together to help India
meet its energy needs in a practical and responsible way. That means
addressing three key issues: oil, electricity, and the need to bring
India's nuclear power program under international norms and safeguards.
India now imports more than two-thirds of its oil. As the economy--
as its economy grows, which we're confident it will, it will need even
more oil. The increased demand from developing nations like India is one
of the reasons the global demand for oil has been rising faster than
global supply. Rising demand relative to global supply leads to price
increases for all of us.
To meet the challenge here in America, I have proposed what's called
an Advanced Energy Initiative to make this company [country]* less
reliant upon oil. As I said in the State of the Union, ``We've got a
problem; we're hooked on oil.'' And we need to do something about it.
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*White House correction.
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And so we're spending money on research and development to develop
cleaner and more reliable alternatives to oil, alternatives that will
work, alternatives such as hybrid vehicles that will require much less
gasoline, alternatives such as new fuels to substitute for gasoline, and
alternatives such as using hydrogen to power automobiles. We will share
these promising energy technologies with countries like India. And as we
do so, it will help reduce stress on global oil markets and move our
world toward cleaner and more efficient uses of energy.
India's rising economy is also creating greater demand for
electricity. Nuclear power is a clean and reliable way to help meet this
need. Nuclear power now accounts for nearly 3 percent of India's
electricity needs, and India plans to increase the figure by--to 25
percent by 2050. And America wants to help.
My administration has announced a new proposal called the Global
Nuclear Energy Partnership. Under this partnership, America will work
with nations that have advanced civilian nuclear energy programs--such
as Great Britain, France, Japan, and Russia--to share nuclear fuel with
nations like India that are developing civilian nuclear energy programs.
The supplier nations
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will collect the spent nuclear fuel, and the supplier nations will
invest in new methods to reprocess the spent nuclear fuel so that it can
be used for advanced new reactors. The strategy will allow countries
like India to produce more electricity from nuclear power; it will
enable countries like India to rely less on fossil fuels; it will
decrease the amount of nuclear waste that needs to be stored and reduce
the risk of nuclear proliferation.
To benefit from this initiative, India first needs to bring its
civilian energy programs under the same international safeguards that
govern nuclear power programs in other countries. And India and the
United States took a bold step forward last summer when we agreed to a
civil nuclear initiative that will provide India access to civilian
nuclear technology and bring its civilian programs under the safeguards
of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
This is not an easy decision for India, nor is it an easy decision
for the United States, and implementing this agreement will take time,
and it will take patience from both our countries. I'll continue to
encourage India to produce a credible, transparent, and defensible plan
to separate its civilian and military nuclear programs. By following
through on our commitments, we'll bring India's civilian--civil nuclear
program into international mainstream and strengthen the bonds of trust
between our two great nations.
We have an ambitious agenda with India. Our agenda is also
practical. It builds on a relationship that has never been better. India
is a global leader as well as a good friend, and I look forward to
working with Prime Minister Singh to address
other difficult problems such as HIV/AIDS, pandemic flu, and the
challenge posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions. My trip will remind
everybody about the strengthening of a important strategic partnership.
We'll work together in practical ways to promote a hopeful future for
citizens in both our nations.
The second stop of my trip will be to Pakistan. Pakistan is a key
ally in the war on terror. Pakistan is a nation of 162 million people.
It has come a long way in a short period of time. Five years ago,
Pakistan was one of only three nations that recognized the Taliban
regime in Afghanistan. That all changed after September the 11th.
President Musharraf understood that he had
to make a fundamental choice for his people. He could turn a blind eye
and leave his people hostage to terrorists, or he could join the free
world in fighting the terrorists. President Musharraf made the right
choice, and the United States of America is grateful for his leadership.
Within 2 days of the attack, the Pakistani Government committed
itself to stop Al Qaida operatives at its border, share intelligence on
terrorist activities and movements, and break off all ties with the
Taliban Government in Kabul if it refused to hand over bin Laden and the Al Qaida leadership. President
Musharraf's decision to fight the
terrorists was made at great personal risk. He leads a country that the
terrorists seek to use as a base of operations, and they take advantage
of every opportunity to create chaos and destabilize the country. The
terrorists have tried to assassinate President Musharraf on a number of
occasions, because they know he stands in the way of their hateful
vision for his country. He is a man of courage, and I appreciate his
friendship and his leadership.
Pakistan now has the opportunity to write a new chapter in its
history, and the United States wants to build a broad and lasting
strategic partnership with the people of Pakistan. And in my meetings
with President Musharraf, we'll be
discussing areas that are critical to the American-Pakistan
relationship.
First, the United States and Pakistan will continue our close
cooperation in confronting and defeating the terrorists in the war on
terror. Second, the United States and Pakistan understand that in the
long
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run, the only way to defeat the terrorists is through democracy.
Pakistan still has a distance to travel on the road to democracy,
yet it has some fundamental institutions that a democracy requires.
Pakistan has a lively and generally free press. I'm confident I will
hear from them on my trip to Pakistan. [Laughter] Occasionally, there's
interference by security forces, but it's a strong press. Pakistanis are
free to criticize their Government, and they exercise that right
vigorously. There are a number of political parties and movements that
regularly challenge the Government. President Musharraf remains committed to a moderate state that respects
the role of Islam in Pakistani society while providing an alternative to
Islamic radicalism. The United States will continue to work with
Pakistan to strengthen the institutions that help guarantee civil
liberties and help lay the foundations for a democratic future for the
Pakistani people.
The United States and Pakistan both want the elections scheduled for
next year to be successful. This will be an important test of Pakistan's
commitment to democratic reform, and the Government in Islamabad must
ensure that these elections are open and free and fair. The Pakistanis
are taking this step toward democracy at a difficult time in their
history. There are determined enemies of freedom attacking from within.
We understand this struggle; we understand the pressure. And the United
States will walk with them on their path to freedom and democracy.
The United States and Pakistan both want to expand opportunity for
the Pakistani people. Opportunity starts with economic growth, and that
is why President Musharraf has made
economic reform a priority for his administration. These reforms have
helped Pakistan's economy grow rapidly last year. There is strong
economic vitality in that country, and we will help Pakistan build on
that momentum.
We're taking several steps to open up markets and expand trade. And
these include efforts to conclude a bilateral investment treaty that
would establish clear and transparent rules to provide greater certainty
and encourage foreign direct investment. By fostering economic
development and opportunity, we will reduce the appeal of radical Islam
and demonstrate that America is a steadfast friend and partner of the
Pakistani people.
The United States and Pakistan are working together to improve
educational opportunities for the Pakistani people. Young men in
Pakistan need a real education that provides the skills required in the
21st century workplace. Pakistan needs to improve literacy for its women
and help more Pakistani girls have the opportunity to go to school.
Last year, the United States provided $66 million to help improve
Pakistani education, especially in the least developed regions of the
country. This is money well spent. We're glad to partner with the
Pakistan Government to help train primary school teachers and
administrators and build new schools and adapt existing ones so that
young girls can attend school. These funds also support the largest
Fulbright program in the world--an educational exchange that brings
Pakistani scholars to America and American scholars to Pakistan. By
helping Pakistan increase the educational opportunities for its people,
we'll help them raise their standard of living and help them marginalize
the terrorists and the extremists.
The Pakistani people saw America's commitment to their future when
we responded in their hour of need. When a devastating earthquake hit a
remote area in the mountains of north Pakistan, it claimed more than
73,000 lives and displaced more than 2.8 million people from their
homes. American relief workers were on the ground within 48 hours. Since
then, we've pledged more than a half a billion dollars for relief and
reconstruction, including $100 million in private donations from our
citizens. These funds have helped to
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build 228 tent schools, improve shelter for over half a million people,
and feed over a million folks. Our compassion is making a difference in
the lives of the Pakistanis, and it's making a difference in how they
view America.
The terrorists have said that America is the Great Satan. Today, in
the mountains of Pakistan, they call our Chinook helicopters ``angels of
mercy.'' Across their country, the Pakistani people see the generous
heart of America. Our response has shown them that our commitments to
Pakistan are real and lasting. We care about the people in that
important country. When they suffer, we want to help.
The great changes that are taking place inside India and Pakistan
are also helping to transform the relationship between these two
countries. One encouraging sign came after the earthquake, when India
offered assistance to Pakistan, and President Musharraf accepted. India sent tents and blankets and food and
medicine, and the plane that delivered the first load of supplies was
the first Indian cargo aircraft to land in Islamabad since the 1971 war.
India and Pakistan must take advantage of this opening to move beyond
conflict and come together on other issues where they share common
interests.
Good relations with America can help both nations in their quest for
peace. Not long ago, there was so much distrust between India and
Pakistan that when America had good relations with one, it made the
other one nervous. Changing that perception has been one of our
administration's top priorities, and we're making good progress.
Pakistan now understands that it benefits when America has good
relations with India. India understands that it benefits when America
has good relations with Pakistan. And we're pleased that India and
Pakistan are beginning to work together to resolve their differences
directly.
India and Pakistan are increasing the direct links between their
countries, including a rail line that has been closed for four decades.
Trade between India and Pakistan grew to more than $800 million from
July of 2004 to July of 2005--nearly double the previous year.
The Governments of India and Pakistan are now engaged in dialog
about the difficult question of Kashmir. For too long, Kashmir has been
a source of violence and distrust between these two countries. But I
believe that India and Pakistan now have an historic opportunity to work
toward lasting peace. Prime Minister Singh
and President Musharraf have shown
themselves to be leaders of courage and vision. On my visit, I will
encourage them to address this important issue. America supports a
resolution in Kashmir that is acceptable to both sides.
This is a sensitive time in South Asia. In Pakistan and other
countries, images broadcast around the world have inflamed passions, and
these passions have been cynically manipulated to incite violence.
America believes that people have the right to express themselves in a
free press. America also believes that others have the right to disagree
with what's printed in the free press and to respond by organizing
protests, so long as they protest peacefully. And when protests turn
violent, governments have an obligation to restore the rule of law,
protect lives and property, and ensure that diplomats who are serving
their nations overseas are not harmed. We understand that striking the
right balance is difficult, but we must not allow mobs to dictate the
future of South Asia.
In this vital region, the stakes are high and the opportunities are
unprecedented. With the end of the cold war and the fall of the Taliban,
more and more people are looking forward to a future of freedom. As
freedom spreads, it's bringing hope to hundreds of millions who know
nothing but despair. And as freedom spreads, it's sweeping away old
grievances and allowing people in central Asia and South Asia and beyond
to take their rightful place in the community of nations.
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This vision will take years to achieve, but we can proceed with
confidence because we know the power of freedom to transform lives and
cultures and overcome tyranny and terror. We can proceed with confidence
because we have two partners--two strong partners--in India and
Pakistan.
Some people have said the 21st century will be the Asian century. I
believe the 21st century will be freedom's century. And together, free
Asians and free Americans will seize the opportunities this new century
offers and lay the foundation of peace and prosperity for generations to
come.
May God bless India and Pakistan. May God continue to bless the
United States.
Note: The President spoke at 10:47 a.m. at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
In his remarks, he referred to Vishakha N. Desai, president, and Richard
C. Holbrooke, executive committee chairman, Asia Society; Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, Ambassador to the U.S. Ronen Sen, and President A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam of India; President Pervez Musharraf and Ambassador to the
U.S. Jehangir Karamat of Pakistan; and Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al
Qaida terrorist organization.