    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [July 16, 2006]
    [Pages 1408-1409]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President Jacques Chirac of France in Strelna
    July 16, 2006

        President Bush. I want to thank Jacques Chirac for coming over. It's
    always a pleasure to visit with Jacques. He is a man who is able to
    crystalize his thoughts, who is able to discuss issues in a very clear
    way.
        Obviously, we're going to spend time talking about the Middle East.
    The United States is proud to work with France on Resolution 1559 of the
    United Nations, which is a clear statement of principle and concern
    about Lebanese democracy. I'm confident that other leaders will look at
    the spirit of 1559 and recognize that one way

    [[Page 1409]]

    to help heal in the Middle East is to address the root causes of the
    problems there, and the root cause of the problem is Hizballah and Syria
    and the Iranian connection.
        The President has taken a strong lead on this issue in the past. We
    are in discussions with his administration, and I'm confident that we'll
    be able to come up with a clear position between France and the United
    States on this vital issue.
        I look forward to discussing other issues with my friend Jacques
    Chirac. It's good to be with you, sir. Thank you for coming by.
        President Chirac. First of all, I just like to say how delighted I
    am to have this opportunity to meet with the American President. And I
    note, albeit it, that this has been difficult circumstances, as we have
    been witnessing the sad events that have been unfolding in the Middle
    East. But I'm especially struck and delighted by the fact that we share
    the same views of the issues at stake here. We witness the tremendous
    sadness, the hardship of the civilian population in this region. You
    know what longstanding ties France has always had with Lebanon. And when
    I say ``this region,'' I refer not only to Lebanon but, of course, to
    what's happening to the Palestinians. So we would call--[inaudible]--for
    a show of moderation on the part of all parties involved, so that we can
    establish the conditions of a long-lasting, lasting cease-fire in the
    region.
        Now, I entirely agree with the American President in what he said
    about supporting the U.N. mission, which is designed, among other
    things, to ensure the release of the Israeli soldiers being detained
    right now both by Hizballah and by Hamas and put an end to the firing of
    Kassam rockets.
        Now, with respect to Gaza, which is a separate issue from that of
    Lebanon, we feel that it is essential--it is of the essence--that we
    renew dialog with Mahmoud Abbas.
        Now, as regards Lebanon, I couldn't agree more with President Bush
    in saying that what is at the heart of this is the to-the-letter
    implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559. That is what must be
    done forthwith. And we must stop all those who are at present engaging
    in jeopardizing the security, the stability, and authority of Lebanon.
        President Bush. Thank you all. Thank you, sir.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:14 a.m. in Cottage Nine at the
    Konstantinovsky Palace Complex. President Chirac referred to Ehud
    Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Israeli soldiers captured and held captive
    by militants in Lebanon since July 12; President Mahmoud Abbas of the
    Palestinian Authority. President Chirac spoke in French, and his remarks
    were translated by an interpreter. A tape was not available for
    verification of the content of these remarks.