    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [September 8, 2007]
    [Pages 1187-1188]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With President Susilo Bambang
    Yudhoyono of Indonesia in Sydney
    September 8, 2007

        President Bush. Mr. President, I admire your leadership, I admire
    your strength of character, and I appreciate our conversation today. But
    first, I thank you very much for your strength in this struggle against
    extremism. You understand firsthand what it means to deal with
    radicalism, and you've done it in a very constructive way. On the one
    hand, you've brought people to justice who deserved it; on the other
    hand, you've worked to improve the human condition.
        And we're proud to stand with you on matters such as education.
    You've got a very constructive education reform package in your country
    that we believe will make a difference, and I thank you for that.
        Today we discussed our bilateral relations and the importance of
    military-to-military relationship. I think it's important that officers
    in the Indonesian Army and the Indonesian military come to the United
    States. I think it's important for our military folks to interface with
    your officers. After all, Mr. President, if I remember correctly, you
    spent some time in Kansas. And I think it's in the country's interest
    that we interface with our friends, the Indonesians, in this way.
        I want to thank you for your leadership on climate change. We had a
    good discussion on climate change. Interestingly enough, the President
    is in the lead when it comes to coral reef protection, and we want to
    help you. And you've also got an aggressive plan to stop deforestation.
    As a matter of fact, you're one of the leaders in the world when it
    comes to these practical applications of environmental quality and
    environmental progress. And the United States wants to help. We're
    working on a $20 million initiative to help you on your preventing
    deforestation, and it's a good use of our taxpayers' money, particularly
    since we've got such a strong champion as you in the lead.
        I also thank you very much for our discussion on Doha. Trade will
    help our respective nations. And your Minister and I had a discussion yesterday, and I want to thank
    you for your leadership on this key issue.

    [[Page 1188]]

        All in all, Mr. President, I'm proud to be with you today, and I
    want to thank you for your time.
        President Yudhoyono. Thank you, Mr. President. We have discuss lot
    of things constructively and productively this morning. I have to be
    thankful for your roles and leaderships in fostering our bilateral
    friendships and cooperation.
        Thank for your willingness to cooperate and assist Indonesia in
    managing our forests, in preserving our coral, and in other things in
    saving our planet with a framework of cooperation--effective
    cooperation. And thank for that kind of support.
        Thank also for our good cooperation in the field of education, and
    also, military-to-military cooperation is progressing well--that benefit
    both for the U.S. and for Indonesia.
        And thank also for your understanding on the ongoing talk on the
    WTO. Indonesia, with other developing countries, will play a specific
    role, will approach this thing constructively, finding a proper solution
    good for both developed nation and developing countries.
        President Bush. Sure.
        President Yudhoyono. And once again, thank for this cooperation with
    your roles, and looking forward to having other action and cooperation
    between our two countries.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. President.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:08 a.m. at the InterContinental Sydney.
    In his remarks, he referred to Minister of Foreign Affairs Noer Hassan
    Wirajuda of Indonesia.