[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.