    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [June 8, 2007]
    [Pages 707-710]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President Lech Kaczynski of Poland in Gdansk, Poland
    June 8, 2007

        President Kaczynski. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would
    like to welcome everybody to the meeting with President Kaczynski and
    President Bush.

    [[Page 708]]

        The talks have been longer than expected, yes. Mr. President, ladies
    and gentlemen, we have had a longer meeting with President George W.
    Bush, and the subject of the conversation were the issues of interest to
    the United States of America and for Poland, our country.
        Certainly, we talked about the issue of missile defense system. We
    talked about problems pertaining to the relations with our very
    important Russian partner. We talked about the situation in Iran a
    little, also, a little about the situation in Kosovo. But, of course,
    the main subject of talks were the two first issues.
        I can tell you that as far as the missile defense system is
    concerned, the two parties fully agree. And this is in line with the
    obvious thing, that the system has no aggressive intentions. This is the
    plan which is to reinforce the protection of Europe against the dangers,
    which result from the fact that not all the countries of the
    contemporary world are responsible. We do not mean Russia here; it's
    about other states.
        As far as relations with our Russian partner are concerned, well, we
    agree that Russia is an important country in the world and that the
    status of Russia, which is very extensive territorially, and it is also
    very numerous in terms of population, and it has nuclear capability,
    which is the legacy from the previous period--that all these factors
    gives Russia basis for being a country important in the world, a country
    which really is very important. And the United States and Poland do not
    question that situation.
        However, it is important that our Russian partner, with which Poland
    wants also to have as good relations as possible--well, the United
    States has good relations with that country--but that Russia should
    recognize that the world has changed for the last 18 years, and it
    concerns also Central and Eastern Europe, and, in particular, it
    concerns our country.
        None plans of the United States, as the U.S. President said, or
    Polish plans are directed against the interests of the Russian
    Federation. The Russian Federation can feel totally safe, at least from
    the respective of our countries, although there are some other larger
    states--large states in the world, and some other entities are
    responsible for those states. However, the whole plan of the missile
    defense system is the plan which gives rights to more stability and
    defense, defense which is needed to guard against irresponsible actions,
    without any additional objectives here.
        However, as far as other uses are concerned which were subjects to
    our talk, I introduced what I know about the issues related to the
    Western Balkans because it is known that not long ago, there was a
    meeting in Brussels, where I talked with almost all the leaders of the
    western Balkan States. We talked also about Kosovo, the crucial problem
    there. We talked also about how, in Polish opinion, the solution
    pertaining to that region, formerly the part of Serbia--however, in
    reality, it is a separate identity--and how the relations pertaining to
    that region can be really reflected on other parts of the world.
        We also talked about the stabilizing role of NATO today, and I hope
    that tomorrow to an even larger extent. We also talked a little about
    the European Union. We talked about the states with which the United
    States is befriended and Poland is befriended, as for example, the,
    well, German Federal Republic. We also exchanged the views on France.
    President George W. Bush had already had a chance to talk longer with
    President Sarkozy during the meeting of G-8, and I had only a brief
    encounter with him 2 years ago when I was not President yet. But in a
    few days' time, I'm going to meet him.
        The conversation which we have had, very interesting, important for
    myself at least. I'm sure it will be followed up another meeting in mid-
    July. And then we

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    will come to concrete results. The beginning of that was the meeting
    today, very fruitful for myself. And I want to thank you very much, Mr.
    President, for coming to Poland. Thank you. Thank you very much.
        And now, President George W. Bush.
        President Bush. Mr. President, thank you for your gracious
    hospitality. Laura and I are so honored to be
    with you and Mrs. Kaczynska I think probably
    the highlight was to meet your granddaughter,
    and congratulations on the birth of another granddaughter.
        This is our third trip to Poland. We have never been in this
    beautiful part of your country, and it's spectacular. We really thank
    you for inviting us to Jurata. Thank you for the walk in the woods, and
    thank you for the very friendly and important dialog we had.
        The President talked a lot about what we talked about. One thing I
    do want to do is praise this good country for being so strong for
    freedom. I love to be in a land where people value liberty and are
    willing to help others realize the blessings of liberty. Kosciuszko has
    a statue right across the street from the White House, on which it says,
    ``For our freedom and yours.'' Isn't that interesting: for our freedom
    and somebody else's? Poland is a great advocate for democracy in the
    world today.
        And I thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership in the cause of
    freedom. You're very much involved in the cause of freedom in two very
    difficult theaters: Afghanistan and Iraq. I thank you and I thank the
    people of Poland for the sacrifices being made so that others may live
    in a free society. You've deployed nearly 900 troops in Iraq, troops
    that are helping the Iraqi people defend their young democracy against
    extremists, radicals who murder in the name of an ideology to deny
    people the right to live in a free society. And I thank you for the
    leadership. I appreciate the fact that you've made the decision to
    extend the deployment through 2007. That is a bold and hard decision, I
    know. The people of Iraq will never forget it.
        And it's important for those families who have lost a loved one in
    the Iraq theater to understand, the American people won't forget it
    either. And we send our prayers and blessings to those families.
        Recently in Afghanistan, there was a call for more NATO help, and
    this Government stepped up quickly by sending more troops to help that
    young democracy survive as well. So, Mr. President, thank you for your
    leadership. It's a proud moment in history when free countries are able
    to help others.
        That's how you set the stage for peace. Free societies don't war
    with each other. That's why Europe is now whole, free, and at peace. Our
    dream is, the same blessings of liberty be extended to the Middle East.
    I thank you for your stalwart support.
        We discussed our--as well, the efforts by Poland to help people who
    are--who need to be free from governments that are--darken their vision.
    I thank you very much for your leadership for Belarus, the people of
    Belarus, a nation where peaceful protesters are beaten and opposition
    leaders are disappeared.
        I appreciate so very much your speaking out on behalf of the
    dissidents in Cuba, an island right off our coast, as you know, Mr.
    President. And it is inspiring for the people of Cuba who want to live
    in a free society to hear the voices from Europe, such as yours or the
    Czech Republic's.
        We had a--spent a lot of time talking about the Ukraine. I thank you
    for your insight. And then, of course, we did talk about missile
    defense, a subject that the President and I spent a lot of time talking
    about. It's a subject I spent a lot of time talking about with President
    Putin yesterday.
        First, let me say, I appreciate the support of the deployment of the
    missile defense interceptors here in Poland. We will negotiate a fair
    agreement that enhances the security of Poland and the security of the
    entire continent against rogue regimes who

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    might be willing to try to blackmail free nations. That's the true
    threat of the 21st century. It's a subject that I told you I discussed
    with President Putin.
        I have made clear what you just made clear, Mr. President: The
    system we have proposed is not directed at Russia. Indeed, we would
    welcome Russian cooperation on missile defense. We think it makes sense
    to have a--and I proposed and he accepted a
    working group from our State Department, Defense Department, and
    military to discuss different opportunities and different options, all
    aimed at providing protection for people from rogue regimes who might be
    in a position to either blackmail and/or attack those of us who live in
    free societies.
        All in all, we had the kind of conversation you'd expect strong
    allies to have. It was candid; it was over a really good meal. And I'm
    looking forward to bringing you back, Mr. President, to the White House.
    I can't wait to see you there in mid-July. Again, thank you all for your
    wonderful hospitality. God bless the people of Poland.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 8:22 p.m. at Gdansk Lech
    Walesa International Airport. In his remarks, he referred to Maria
    Kaczynska, wife of President Kaczynski; and President Vladimir V. Putin
    of Russia. President Kaczynski referred to President Nicolas Sarkozy of
    France. President Kaczynski spoke in Polish, and his remarks were
    translated by an interpreter.