    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [July 20, 2006]
    [Pages 1432-1433]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With First Vice President of the
    Government of National Unity of Sudan and President of Southern Sudan
    Salva Kiir Mayardit
    July 20, 2006

        President Bush. It's been my honor to welcome a man who wears two
    hats to the Oval Office: Vice President of all Sudan, as well as the
    President of Southern Sudan. We've had a fascinating discussion.
    Welcome, Mr. Vice President, I'm glad you're here. Thank you for coming.
        I assured our friend that the United States is committed to helping
    the Sudanese people; we're committed to making sure that the peace
    agreement that we helped you negotiate is implemented. We're also
    committed to helping the people in Darfur.
        I want to thank you for spending time with me to strategize about
    what we can do to save lives in Darfur. Our strategy is that we want AU
    forces to be complemented and blue-helmeted; in other words, the United
    Nations should be invited in. We talked about how best to get that done
    in order to save lives. Obviously, there is still a lot of work to be
    done.
        But I want to thank you for coming to our country and sharing with
    me some of your thoughts and your vision for the people you represent.
    So welcome to the Oval Office.
        First Vice President Kiir. Thank you very much, Your Excellency,
    President. Well, we are delighted to be in this office at the invitation
    of His Excellency, the President of the United States of America. It is
    a very rare opportunity for the people of southern Sudan, in particular,
    to come to this office and to voice our--their concerns about whatever
    is happening in our country.
        It is true we have been working together during the negotiations
    with the people of the United States and the Government of the United
    States of America to bring peace to Sudan. And that peace has taken a
    toll of our people. This dream has been achieved, and we are now
    together in the implementation.
        There are so many other crises in Sudan--that is the problem of
    Darfur--that people have been talking about. And we are sure that we are
    going to solve the problem so that we don't hear about rapes and
    killings in Darfur--and all other parts of our country, like the eastern
    Sudan. We are now also negotiating in that province so that peace is
    also achieved all over the Sudan.
        So we thank the President for all the efforts that he has been
    exerting and the concerns that he has about the people of Sudan.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir, appreciate you.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.

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