[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

[[Page 709]]

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

[[Page 710]]

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.