[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[April 5, 2008]
[Pages 468-469]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks in Zagreb
April 5, 2008

    The President.  Thank you all. Dobro jutro. Mr. Prime 
Minister, thank you very much. I'm honored to be 
here with the leaders from Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia. The United 
States appreciates the leadership you have shown in the cause of 
freedom. We're pleased Albania and Croatia have been invited to join 
NATO, and we look forward to Macedonia taking its place very soon in 
this great alliance for freedom.
    Laura, who has joined me today, and I are 
proud to stand on the soil of an independent Croatia. Our countries are 
separated by thousands of miles, but we're united by a deep belief in 
God and the blessings of liberty He gave us. And today, on the edge of a 
great Adriatic, we stand together as one free people.
    Croatia is a very different place than it was just a decade ago. The 
Croatian people have overcome war and hardship to build peaceful 
relations with your neighbors and to build a maturing democracy in one 
of the most beautiful countries on the face of the Earth. Americans 
admire your courage and admire your persistence. And we look forward to 
welcoming you as a partner in NATO.
    The invitation to join NATO that Croatia and Albania received this 
week is a vote of confidence that you will continue to make necessary 
reforms and become strong contributors to our great alliance. 
Henceforth, should any danger threaten your people, America and the NATO 
alliance will stand with you, and no one will be able to take your 
freedom away.
    I regret that NATO did not extend an invitation to Macedonia at this 
week's summit. Macedonia has made difficult reforms at home and is 
making major contributions to NATO missions abroad. Unfortunately, 
Macedonia's invitation was delayed because of a dispute over its name. 
In Bucharest, NATO allies declared that as soon as this issue is 
resolved, Macedonia will be extended an invitation to join the alliance. 
America's position is clear: Macedonia should take its place in NATO as 
soon as possible.
    The NATO alliance is open to all countries in the region. We welcome 
the decisions of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro to take the next 
steps toward membership called intensive dialogue. And we hope that soon 
a free and prosperous Serbia will find its rightful place in the family 
of Europe and live at peace with its neighbors.
    With the changes underway in this region, Europe stands on the 
threshold of a new and hopeful history. The ancient and costly rivalries 
that led to two World Wars have fallen away. We've seen the burning 
desire for freedom melt even the Iron Curtain. We've witnessed the rise 
of strong and vibrant democracies and free and open markets. And today, 
the people of Europe are closer than ever before to a dream shared by 
millions: a Europe that is whole, a Europe that is at peace, and a 
Europe that is free.
    The people of this region know what the gift of liberty means. You 
know the death and destruction that can be caused by the followers of 
radical ideologies. You know that in the long run, the only way to 
defeat a hateful ideology is to promote the hopeful alternative of human 
freedom. And that is what our nations are doing today in the Middle 
East. The lack of freedom and opportunity in that region has given aid 
and comfort to the lies and ambitions of violent extremists. Resentments 
that began on the streets of the Middle East have resulted in the 
killing innocent people across the world. A great danger clouds the 
future of all free men and women, and this danger sits at the doorstep 
of Europe.

[[Page 469]]

    Together, the people of this region are helping to confront this 
danger. Today, soldiers from Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia are serving 
bravely in Afghanistan, helping the Afghan people defeat the terrorists 
and secure their future of liberty. Forces from Albania and Macedonia 
are serving in Iraq, where they're helping the Iraqi people build a 
society that rejects terror and lives in freedom. It's only a matter of 
time before freedom takes root across that troubled region. And when it 
does, millions will remember the people of your nation stood with them 
in their hour of need.
    At this great moment in history, you have a vital role. There are 
many people who don't appear to understand why it takes so long to build 
a democracy. You can tell them how hard it is to put in place a new and 
complex system of government for the first time. There are those who 
actually wonder if people were better off under their old tyranny. You 
can tell them that freedom is the only real path to prosperity and 
security and peace. And there are those who ask whether the pain and 
sacrifices for freedom are worth the costs. And they should come to 
Croatia, and you can show them that freedom is worth fighting for.
    The great church in this square has stood since the Middle Ages. 
Over the centuries, it has seen long, dark winters of occupation and 
tyranny and war. But the spring is here at last. This is an era in 
history that generations of Croatians have prayed for. It is an era that 
Pope John Paul II envisioned when he came to this land and prayed with 
the Croatian people and asked for ``a culture of peace.'' Today in this 
square, before this great church, we can now proudly say those prayers 
have been answered.
    Interpreter. [Inaudible]
    The President. They can't hear you. Don't worry about it.
    May you always remember the joy of this moment in your history. And 
may the hopeful story of a peaceful Croatia find its way to those in the 
world who live as slaves and still await a joyful spring.
    May God bless Croatia. And thank you for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 10:49 a.m. in St. Mark's Square. In his 
remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ivo Sanader of Croatia. The 
transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included 
the remarks of Prime Minister Sanader.