    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [September 25, 2008]
    [Pages 1240-1241]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Michel Sleiman of Lebanon
    September 25, 2008

        President Bush. It is my honor to welcome the President of Lebanon
    here to the Oval Office. Mr. President, there are a lot of Lebanese
    Americans who are paying attention to this visit. They care deeply about
    their ancestors. They want Lebanon to be free and sovereign and
    independent, and so do I, and so do you.
        I have watched very carefully your initial statements upon being
    sworn in as President, and it--your statement impressed me. And we're
    most impressed by the national dialogue that you're holding in attempt
    to seek reconciliation. The United States is proud to stand by your
    side. Our mission is your mission: a country that is strong and capable
    and a country where people can live in peace.
        And so I welcome you. It's been a long time since the President of
    Lebanon has been in the Oval Office. And it has been my--it is my honor
    to host you for this occasion. So I welcome you, and I'm looking forward
    to our dialogue.
        President Sleiman.  Thank you. Well, I am delighted to be here
    visiting the White House and visiting with you, President Bush. I am
    here to thank you for all the efforts that you have undertaken in order
    to support Lebanon, particularly the military institutions of Lebanon.
        We are also very proud of Lebanese Americans, who are around a
    million of them here, occupy very important position in the United
    States. And they work very

    [[Page 1241]]

    sincerely for their country here as well as for their original homeland.
        Mr. President, we share with the United States many of the human
    values and many of the cultural values. We promote and we believe very
    strongly in democracy and the principles of democracy. We believe in the
    promotion of liberty, all liberties, as well as the protection of human
    rights.
        Mr. President, we work against bigotry and those who try to promote
    it, and certainly, we work very hard to combat terror. There are so many
    things in common between the American people and the Lebanese people.
        We are here also to reaffirm our right in having a prosperous
    Lebanon, a democratic Lebanon, a country that it is diverse in its
    nature and through its people, but that in itself is wealth--the wealth
    of the power--and the power of the people of Lebanon. And that adds to
    the value of the Middle East and the Arab world and the entire world.
        Mr. President, we are also here to reaffirm the need to liberate all
    Lebanese territories and also to make it very clear that the future of
    Palestinian refugees is in their homeland, not in Lebanon. Mr.
    President, we believe that this is in the interest of Lebanon as well as
    it's in the interest of the Palestinian people themselves.
        Thank you very much.
        President Bush. Yes, sir. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:45 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Sleiman spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were
    translated by an interpreter.