    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [May 2, 2007]
    [Pages 531-532]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President Ali Abdallah Salih of Yemen
    May 2, 2007

        President Bush. It is my honor to welcome the President of Yemen to
    the Oval Office. I have gotten to know the President over the past 6
    years of my Presidency. I feel comfortable saying, welcome, my friend.
        I had the privilege of calling President Salih after the elections
    of Yemen. I told him, I said it was a remarkable occurrence that his
    great country had a free and open election. I've had a chance to
    congratulate him and thank him in person today.
        We had a very good discussion about the neighborhood in which the
    President lives. And we spent a lot of time talking about our mutual
    desire to bring radicals and murderers to justice. And I thanked the
    President for his strong support in this war against extremists and
    terrorists.
        So I'm glad you're here.
        President Salih. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for the good
    reception and hospitality and also for the excellent and fruitful talks
    that we had. I'm very pleased for the limitless support by President
    Bush and the United States for Yemen in the field of combating terror.
    Yemen is an essential partner with the United States of America and the
    international community in combating terror. We will continue in this
    path, in--on this track.
        We had the chance to discuss a number of issues with Mr. President,
    including a number of issues in the Middle East region, the Palestinian-
    Israeli problem and the situation in Somalia, the situations in Iraq,
    Lebanon, Afghanistan. We found a complete understanding on the issues
    that we have discussed with Mr. President Bush. We also discussed the
    bilateral relations between Yemen and the United States.
        I would like, on this occasion, to highly express my gratification
    and my appreciation for the brave position taken by President Bush since
    the first moment he took power in this country, since he expressed his
    belief in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, side by
    side with the State of Israel. And I wish that His Excellency would
    pursue his effort and will continue his efforts in implementing the Arab
    initiative, which was adopted in the

    [[Page 532]]

    summit of Beirut, to maintain peace in the region. I am sure that
    adopting such initiative would end 70 percent of the problems in the
    region.
        Of course, you will be in history if you can successful in
    establishing the independent Palestinian state before leaving the White
    House.
        Shukran.
        President Bush. Shukran.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:44 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Salih spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were translated
    by an interpreter.