    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [February 12, 2007]
    [Pages 123-124]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania
    February 12, 2007

        President Bush. It's my honor to welcome a personal friend and a
    friend of freedom and peace to the Oval Office. Mr. President, I respect
    you, I respect your country. Lithuania has been a country whose history
    has been one of great tragedy. You yourself have lived through that
    tragedy. And it's so refreshing for a person like me to talk to somebody
    and to strategize with somebody who knows the great blessings of living
    in a free society.
        The example of your country is an important example for the world,
    and that is that freedom is universal, that those of us who have the
    benefits of living in a free society must prevent a country such as
    yours from ever again being subjected to the tyranny of a few. You know
    full well the suffering that your relatives went through.
        And therefore, I find it--I'm not surprised that in a struggling
    democracy like Afghanistan, your country has stood up bravely to support
    the Karzai Government and the people of
    Afghanistan. And I thank you. And I thank the citizens of your country
    for your willingness to contribute to peace by helping a young democracy
    survive. I thank you very much for your support for the people of Iraq.
    It's hard work in Iraq. But nevertheless, it is inspiring to know that
    Lithuania has said, ``We want to help the people realize the blessings
    of a free society.''
        We talked about a lot of issues. We talked about energy
    independence. I was very pleased by the strategy that you and others in
    the Baltics are working to achieve, to achieve energy independence. We
    share the same objectives here in America, and I look forward to working
    with you, as new technologies become available, to make us all less
    dependent on oil and natural gas.

        Secondly, the President was quite adamant about visa waiver. I can
    understand your strong position, Mr. President. I thank you very much
    for your clarity of thought. There should be no doubt that here in the
    Oval Office that President Adamkus represented the will of the majority
    of Lithuanian people, when discussed visa waiver and his desire for the
    people of his country to be treated like most of the other people in the
    European Union. I assured him we'll work with Congress to get a fair
    piece of legislation forward as quickly as possible so we can deal with
    this issue once and for all.

        All in all, I'm so grateful that you and the First Lady came by to say hello here in the Oval Office. And I know
    Laura was very much looking forward to
    entertaining your good wife over there at the Residence. I thought the
    business session here went very well in a very constructive way. And
    again, I welcome you back to the Oval Office.

        President Adamkus. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I believe the
    visit is just reconfirmation of the Lithuanian people for what we stand
    for. And I believe there is no doubt that our commitments--international
    commitments, joining United States, actually based on the principles,
    principles which were the guiding light for us during the very difficult
    times of the Soviet occupation, almost for a half of the century.

    [[Page 124]]

        But at the same time, like I indicated to you, knowing what it means
    to be free and knowing, I mean, that this freedom still is not available
    in some part of the world, this is why we are with our, I would say,
    meager resources, but standing by you in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in
    Kosovo. And definitely, we are going to stand shoulder with shoulder
    just to make sure that the remaining people who cannot even enjoy today
    those kind of privileges--free speech, respect for human rights--would
    be given to them.
        So I want to just thank you once again, I mean, for the support we
    are receiving. We are going to work together, especially in developing
    situations like we just mentioned during our conversations here, about
    the latest statements in Munich. I believe this is not going to sway
    away the free people from the--I mean, its ideals, the direction we are
    going together, and I think that in the final outcome will be--this is
    what we dream about; this is for what the American people stand for, for
    centuries, and the day is coming.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.
        President Adamkus. Thank you very much.
        President Bush. Appreciate you being here. Thank you all. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:02 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Hamid Karzai of
    Afghanistan.