[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
[October 22, 2007]
[Pages 1364-1366]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks in a Meeting With President Nambaryn Enkhbayar of Mongolia
October 22, 2007
President Bush. Mr. President, thank you very much. Welcome. Thank
you.
Mr. President, thank you very much for joining us. Today we're going
to sign an important agreement between the United States and our friend
Mongolia. Before we sign the agreement, which is to codify a Millennium
Challenge compact, I do want to say a couple of things.
First, Laura and I loved our trip to your
country. It was most interesting. I still vividly remember the fierce-
looking warrior on horseback. And I was reminded of how thankful I am
I've never met him on a battlefield. [Laughter] I remember the skill of
the horsemen. I remember the warm hospitality. I remember the yak's
milk. [Laughter] And I remember your gracious and kind words there. And
I want to thank you again, sir, and the people of your wonderful country
for such warm hospitality for Laura and me.
I also want to thank you very much for your strong support in the
war against radicals and extremists. After our Nation was attacked on
September the 11th by coldblooded murderers, you and your country stood
in solidarity with the American people. And since then, you have been a
stalwart in helping defeat extremists by helping young democracies
survive and thrive. And I want to thank you and the Mongolian people for
supporting the young democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's been hard
work, but we're making progress. And I know it's been hard for some in
your society to see the benefits of free societies emerging, but I
appreciate your vision, and I want to thank your troops. The Mongolian
troops are well-trained, well-disciplined, and are a great credit to
your country.
The Millennium Challenge Account is an important part of our foreign
policy. It's an opportunity for the United States and our taxpayers to
help countries that fight corruption, that support market-based
economies, and that invest in the health and education of their people.
The Millennium Challenge compact encourages countries to make a firm
commitment to basic principles, principles that mean the government will
listen to their people and respond to the needs of the people. And
today, Mr. President, we honor the success of your country and the
commitment of your Government to basic principles. That's what we're
doing. We hope that the $285 million will help you modernize your
railroad and infrastructures, all aiming to make sure that the market
economy you put in place inures to the benefit of your people.
Congress must understand how important this program is for U.S.
foreign policy. The Millennium Challenge Account has been effective.
It's been effective across the world. It will be effective in Mongolia.
And when the United States Congress considers full funding for the
Millennium Challenge Account, they must think about countries
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such as Mongolia and the long-term benefits that this program will mean
for a solid friend.
And so, Mr. President, I welcome you to the mike. I want to thank
you for coming, and then I look forward to signing the document.
President Enkhbayar. Mr. President, it's indeed a great pleasure to
be here in Washington, DC, today, attending the ceremony which lays down
the beginning of a new and important partnership between Mongolia and
the United States. I am proud that our joint efforts, which started with
the qualification of Mongolia in May 2004 into the list of the countries
eligibly for the Millennium Challenge Account have brought us to this
very important stage.
On behalf of the entire nation, its Government, and the people of
Mongolia, I wish to extend our sincere gratitude to President Bush for
his initiative, to the Government, and the people of the United States
for their confidence and support rendered to Mongolia. Thank you.
President Bush. Thanks very much.
President Enkhbayar. The idea of rewarding the successful
democracies through supporting their goals inspired the Mongolians from
the beginning of this initiative. We welcome the concept for--we sense
that the initiative will eventually contribute to the betterment of the
life of ordinary people. Mongolia also appreciates and upholds the
principle of aid with accountability and ownership advocated by the
Government of the United States. Indeed, the whole process through we
have arrived at the signing of this compact today is a testimony to our
shared commitment to ensuring the country ownership, good governance,
and accountability to our citizens.
We have to always remember--and I know that those are the people who
elect us and sometimes criticize us and say whatever they think about
us.
President Bush. So it happens there as well? [Laughter]
President Enkhbayar. As a partner country of the MCC program,
Mongolia has been truly in the driver's seat at every stage of
identifying its own development priorities and investment needs and
policy directions. This new approach to--of cooperation is the key to
ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of the program. The compact
prepared through the broad consultative approach in Mongolia will
support our efforts to broaden and deepen the country's economic
development, focusing on four key areas.
These areas are in the line with Mongolia's national development
strategy, the draft of which was submitted to the parliament for their
consultation and approval. The strategy sets out the vision of a
democratic society centered on developing a healthy and educated citizen
and a prosperous private sector-led economy, a society of true
partnership and Mongol stakeholders, including the civil society.
I am confident that the compact program will have a truly
transformational impact on Mongolia's poverty reduction efforts through
investment in our human capital, rehabilitation of vital transportation
infrastructure, and strengthening the institutional capacity of the
public service agencies.
It should be noted that the compact is about opportunity and access.
We want our people to seize this opportunity to improve their livelihood
with training and employment, to participate and benefit from the
country's economic growth, to have access to high-quality service and
education.
``Hand-in-hand action has to have the trophy,'' says a Mongolian
proverb. I'm certain that this compact will inspire long-lasting,
fruitful, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the United States
of America and Mongolia. Now we will embark upon the task of
successfully transforming our people's ideas and expectations into
reality. Your support has been indispensable in reaching this point, and
we
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trust in your continued partnership in the future.
Mr. President, friends, and colleagues, thank you again for this
memorable occasion. And I would like to again invite President Bush to
visit Mongolia after he goes to Beijing Olympics. President Bush knows
that it's not very far away from Beijing.
President Bush. That's right. [Laughter]
President Enkhbayar. And I hope that he will again enjoy the
hospitality of the Mongolian people.
President Bush. Thank you, sir. Good job.
Note: The President spoke at 11:53 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
White House.