[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
[May 31, 2007]
[Pages 671-673]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Interview With Andi Bejtja of Albania's Vizion
Plus TV
May 31, 2007
President's Upcoming Visit to Albania
Mr. Bejtja. Mr. President, first of all, I want to thank you for the
opportunity you give to me and to Albanian public for this interview.
And I have just a simple question in the beginning: What is the reason
of including Albania in this European tour this time?
The President. That's a fascinating question. First of all, I want
to make sure the Albanian people understand that America knows that you
exist and that you're making difficult choices to cement your free
society. I'm coming as a lover of liberty to a land where people are
realizing the benefits of liberty.
Secondly, I've been impressed by your leadership. I have met your
leaders at different times----
Mr. Bejtja. Impressed in what sense?
The President. In the sense that they're committed to common values
with the United States, that they believe in certain freedoms, and that
people ought to be given a chance to live in a free society. And so my
message is that we welcome our friendship, that I'm proud of the hard
work that you're doing, and I'm particularly grateful to be the first
sitting President ever to come to Albania.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Mr. Bejtja. Yes, this is a historical visit. And Albanians hoping to
get a--to receive
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an invitation at summit to join NATO in 2008. How realistic this
Albanian expectation is, according to you?
The President. Well, my message to the Albanian Government and the
Albanian people is, first of all, thank you for your interest in joining
NATO. But like I said to other countries that are at this stage in the
process, that there's a certain map that has to be followed, a certain
way forward. There are certain obligations that have to be met. And my
only advice is, work as hard as you possibly can to achieve the
different benchmarks that would cause the NATO members to accept
Albania.
Kosovo/United Nations Security Council
Mr. Bejtja. And let's get to the hardest point: Kosovo. I mean, in
the beginning of the week, you just had a phone call from Russian
President Vladimir Putin, and you agreed with him to rediscuss Kosovo
future once again. And people are worried about that. Do you expect any
compromise with Russians that may affect our desired plan as it stands
now?
The President. Well, let me make it clear what I did say.
Mr. Bejtja. Because everybody is worried about that.
The President. Yes, they ought to be worried about it; it's a
difficult issue. But they ought not to be worried about my position. My
position is that we support the Ahtisaari plan, and that's the
instructions that I have given to Secretary of State Rice, who totally agrees with me. And those will be the
instructions we give to the United Nations.
And so I don't know who characterized my phone call with Vladimir
Putin, but as I told him on the phone,
look, we don't want to--we would hope to avoid a major conflict in the
area, but we feel strongly that the Ahtisaari plan is the right way to
go; it's the right way to move forward. And that's the U.S. position.
Mr. Bejtja. So in case of a Russian veto next month at Security
Council, does U.S. have plan B for Kosovo?
The President. Well, plan A is to try to make plan A work.
Mr. Bejtja. Yes, but is the plan A----
The President. I know, but you're asking me to think hypothetically.
It happens, by the way, with the United States press too. They say, ``If
something doesn't happen''--my job is, make it happen in the first
place. So we're working to try to convince all members of the U.N.
Security Council to support the Ahtisaari plan, and we're out making our
case as to why it makes sense and why this will make--yield peace. We
would also hope that the EU would continue and NATO would continue to
work with Serbia, to give them a way forward as well, that there be an
opportunity for them to become participants in some of the European
structures and, in this case, in NATO's case, an opportunity, perhaps,
to join NATO and have U.S. as a partner.
President's Decisionmaking/U.S. Foreign Policy
Mr. Bejtja. Let me put another question. I mean, to be honest, it's
very easy in the region to find pro-American governments, but it's not
as easy to find so-called pro-American nations, or better saying, pro-
American public or people. Does U.S. have any strategy to reverse this
trend, to make U.S. policy more effective in long term?
The President. Well, first of all, it's like--people ask me the
question about popularity, whether it be overseas or at home. You can't
make decisions and try to be--and want to be popular. You make decisions
because you want to be right. I make decisions for what's best for the
United States of America. Sometimes that makes me popular; sometimes it
doesn't.
But popularity comes and goes, but certain principles should never
leave. And I believe firmly the United States must confront tyranny and
disease and hunger. And I believe the United States must secure our
homeland from further attack, and I will take the actions necessary to
do so. I hope others understand why. I would like
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for people to understand the decisionmaking I've done. I want people to
respect my country and to like the American people, and most people do
like the American people. Sometimes they like the American President,
and sometimes they don't. But popularity is--I would ask the question:
Are you still going to make decisions based upon solid principles? And
the answer is, absolutely.
President's Upcoming Visit to Albania
Mr. Bejtja. Yes. And let me ask one childish question, because it is
your first time in Albania and everyone is wondering: What does come to
your mind when you heard the word ``Albania''?
The President. Beautiful coastline, interesting history, Muslim
people who can live at peace: that's what comes to mind. I'm excited to
go. I must confess that I also thought about the dark days of communism,
when the society was a closed society. I'm looking forward--I met many
Albanians who are excited to be living in an open society. And I can't
wait to come to your country. I've heard great things about it, and it's
going to be an exciting trip for me and Laura.
Mr. Bejtja. Thank you very much, Mr. President, and welcome.
The President. Yes, sir; thanks.
Note: The interview was taped at 3:37 p.m. in the Map Room at the White
House for later broadcast. The transcript was released by the Office of
the Press Secretary on June 1. In his remarks, the President referred to
former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, United Nations Special
Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Future Status Process of Kosovo.