    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [May 17, 2008]
    [Pages 690-692]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and an Exchange With Reporters in Sharm
    el-Sheikh, Egypt
    May 17, 2008

        President Bush. Mr. President, good to see you. Thanks. President
    Karzai and I have had a lot of meetings together, and this was a very
    upbeat meeting. And I want to thank you for coming. I appreciate your
    courage. Appreciate you taking on a very tough assignment, which is
    helping your young democracy survive amidst the threats from the
    radicals and extremists.
        I really appreciate the briefing you gave me on how you're going to
    approach the Paris donors' meeting. This is a great opportunity for the
    world to help Afghanistan grow and prosper. His strategy is a smart
    strategy. And part of his strategy is to--is for the world to help
    Afghanistan's agricultural community grow and prosper, so that they can
    not only become self-sufficient in food but become net exporters of
    crops that people need in order to be able to eat and survive.
        And so I thought it was a smart approach. I hope the world rallies
    to your behalf. We'll certainly help. I appreciate you being here.
        President Karzai. Thank you very much.
        President Bush. Yes, sir.
        President Karzai. Thank you very much. Well, Mr. President, thank
    you very much for this very good meeting once again. We have always had
    very good meetings with you in the past. This one was one more of such
    meetings. And thank you very much once again, Mr. President, for the
    help that you have given us in the past 6 years--6\1/2\ years in
    Afghanistan.
        I told you about a story earlier, that we, for the first time after
    30 years, were able to give diplomas to the graduates of Afghanistan's
    universities, the medical colleges, economics, law, and all that. That
    would have not been possible without your help and the help of the rest
    of the world.
        And thank you very much for the support on Paris. We'll be going to
    Paris to ask for more help for Afghanistan's agriculture, so that
    Afghanistan can become self-sufficient in agriculture and also be an
    exporter to the rest of the world. And we'll be asking for help on
    energy resources in Afghanistan and the--better irrigation and hydro
    projects.
        Afghanistan once again thanks the people of the United States. Mr.
    President, thank you very much, and please convey that gratitude to the
    American people. And please do visit us very, very soon. The Afghan
    people want to be there to greet you and to express their gratitude for
    your leadership and help.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you. I'll take two questions.
    Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

    Middle East Peace Process

        Q. Mr. President, Egypt's state-owned media says that you have
    tilted too far toward Israel. One of them, the newspaper,

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    says that you aim to do nothing but appeasing Israel. Did you encounter
    that attitude today, and what do you say to this?
        President Bush. Actually, in my meeting with the President of
    Egypt, he wanted to make sure that my
    approach toward the Middle Eastern peace is firm, and that we work hard
    to get the Palestinian state defined. And in my speech tomorrow, I'll
    make it clear that I believe we can get a state defined by the end of my
    Presidency, and we'll work hard to achieve that objective. I had
    conversations with Prime Minister Olmert and
    others in his Government to that effect. I will have conversations with
    President Abbas and people in his Government
    tonight.
        Every one of these meetings helps advance the process. Every one of
    these meetings helps us inch toward the goal of getting a state defined
    with borders and the refugee issue as well as security concerns defined
    by the end of my Presidency. And I believe we can do that, and I know
    it's going to be important for the peace in the Middle East.
        John [John McKinnon, Wall Street Journal], yes.

    Saudi Arabia/Oil Production

        Q. Mr. President, can you talk a little bit more about your meetings
    with officials in Saudi Arabia? And are you satisfied with the response
    that they gave you on oil?
        President Bush. Look, my--with--His Majesty is--he kindly called in the Energy
    Minister, who, I think, was in Korea.
    And the man flew back to talk with us. I said very plainly, I said,
    you've got to be concerned about the effects of high oil prices on some
    of the biggest customers in the world. And not only that, of course,
    high energy prices is going to cause countries like mine to accelerate
    our move toward alternative energy.
        And as the Minister said
    yesterday, that Saudi Arabia, this year, has increased the number of
    barrels of oil per day by 300,000 a day, and they're increasing refining
    capacity, which is not enough. It's something, but it doesn't solve our
    problem. Our problem in America gets solved when we aggressively go for
    domestic exploration. Our problem in America gets solved if we expand
    our refining capacity, promote nuclear energy, and continue our strategy
    for the advancement of alternative energies as well as conservation.
        And one of the interesting things about American politics these days
    is, those who are screaming the loudest for increased production from
    Saudi Arabia are the very same people who are fighting the fiercest
    against domestic exploration, against the development of nuclear power,
    and against expanding refining capacity. And so I was pleased that they
    had increased production by 300,000. But I'm also realistic to say to
    the American people, we've got to do more at home, and we need a
    Congress who will be responsive to those requests.
        Thank you all very much for your interest.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:14 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Sharm El
    Sheikh. In his remarks, he referred to President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak
    of Egypt; Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel; President Mahmoud Abbas
    of the Palestinian Authority; and King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
    and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ibrahim al-Naimi of
    Saudi Arabia.

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