    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [June 5, 2008]
    [Pages 755-756]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Prime Minister Jan Peter
    Balkenende of the Netherlands
    June 5, 2008

        President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, thanks for coming back. I
    enjoyed being with you. You represent a great country. You're a good
    friend of the United States of America, and I appreciate our candid
    discussion of a variety of issues.
        First, I want to thank you and your folks for helping the people of
    Afghanistan realize the blessings of liberty. There is a--we're engaged
    in a struggle against ideologues who use murder to achieve their
    political objectives. One way to help--and defeat those folks and
    marginalize them is to help others realize the blessings of a free
    society. And I appreciate your courage, and I appreciate the troops,
    and--but the people of Afghanistan appreciate them more.
        We had a good discussion on a variety of issues. We talked about the
    need for--to continue our close cooperation on a series of issues. I
    appreciate very much your concern about the people on the continent of
    Africa, your concern about people needlessly dying because of HIV/AIDS.
    I share those same concerns with you.
        Talked about completing the WTO round, the Doha round. The Prime
    Minister and I both agree, a world that trades freely is a world that is
    a more hopeful world and, certainly, a way to help people grow out of
    poverty.
        And we talked about the climate issue. I assured him that the United
    States is concerned about the issue. We're concerned about being
    dependent on oil. And the two happen to go hand in hand. And we've
    developed a strategy to encourage the advent of new technologies that
    will change our habits; at the same time, allow us to empower our
    economy in a way that will help us be good stewards in the environment.
    I want to thank you for your candid discussion on that.
        Relations--bilateral relations with our countries are very strong
    and very good. And I can't thank you enough for coming. Welcome.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. Mr. President, thank you very much for
    the hospitality and the friendship. It is true what you're saying about
    the bilateral relations between the United States and the Netherlands;
    they are very good. And also next year--and we have the 400-year
    celebration of the fact that Henry Hudson came, on behalf of the Dutch
    East Indian Company, to Manhattan.
        President Bush. That's right.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. And they'll be celebrated then. And just
    an example of the long tradition we have.
        At this moment, we're working together. And you referred to that, by
    example, in Africa. In the struggle against HIV/AIDS, we are working
    together. We also are working together on the issue of deforestation in
    Latin America. There will be a meeting in Suriname in September, and we
    are supporting that event. And thanks for your remarks about our
    cooperation and the activities of our military people in Afghanistan.
    It's necessary to work together.
        Of course when you are friends, sometimes there are issues you do
    not agree about, but because you have a friendship,

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    then you can talk about finding solutions and talk about critical
    aspects. We also talked about the European Union, and I'm convinced that
    the United States and the European Union share the same values. You
    talked about it: freedom, human rights and democracy, economic dynamism,
    sustainable development. And I think we--if we work together, we really
    can make a difference. And I think it's necessary.
        So I'm really looking forward of the new administration also to have
    a good cooperation between the European Union and the United States.
        It was also important what you said about role of multilateral
    channels, the United Nations; but also, we talked about the NATO. And it
    is important to make progress on the issues of climate change and
    energy. We have so many things in common.
        So I want to thank you very much for hospitality, the cooperation.
    You know, there are really close ties between the people of the United
    States and the Netherlands. And I'm sure that will continue in the--in
    future. And when we talk about these issue--important issues like human
    rights, freedom, democracy--they--we have, really, a common
    responsibility.
        I wish you all the best. I presume this will be the last time here
    in the White House when you're in office. I wish you all the best, and
    thanks again for the hospitality.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:13 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.