[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.