    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [September 29, 2008]
    [Pages 1256-1257]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania
    September 29, 2008

        President Bush. I'm honored to welcome my friend the President of
    Lithuania here to the Oval. Welcome back, Mr. President. I've come to
    admire your courage, your straightforwardness, and the job you've done
    for your country.
        President Adamkus. Thank you.
        President Bush. I have enjoyed working with you on a variety of
    issues. Lithuania's ascension into NATO is a very important part of our
    foreign policy, yours and mine. It's important for the people of
    Lithuania to know that when the United States makes a commitment
    through, for example, Article 5 of the treaty, we mean it. I'm proud of
    the alliance we've established and your contribution to that alliance.
        We also talked about Georgia-Russia and the need for, you know,
    democracies to be able to stand on their own feet without

    [[Page 1257]]

    fear of bullying. And you've made some very courageous statements on
    that issue, and I appreciate that very much.
        We talked about energy independence, and you explained to me your
    situation with your present power and your future strategies. And I want
    to thank you very much for being forthright with your strategy and
    understanding that the more independent you are from an energy
    perspective, the more independent you are from a political perspective.
    And I thought that was very wise, and we'll try to help you as best as
    we can.
        And finally, our hope and--is that by mid-October, there will be
    visa waiver granted to the citizens of Lithuania. You've worked hard for
    that issue, and it's--I think you can take back to your people a very
    positive report about this very important initiative. And you and your
    Government deserve a lot of credit for it.
        All in all, I've really enjoyed working with you. There's a lot more
    to do in 4 months, and I plan on doing it. And I know you and I will be,
    you know, working together. So thank you very much for coming.
        President Adamkus. Thank you, Mr. President. First of all, I would
    like to express the gratitude by the entire Lithuanian nation for your
    constant support, and if that would not be for you, I don't believe we
    would be the members of NATO and that the entire security question in
    the region would be at doubt.
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Adamkus. Now, we definitely have some problems, like you
    just indicated with the press, about energy. We're trying to resolve it.
    Hopefully, we will, with your help. And since we need United States
    presence more, as I indicated to you, European Union is coming up with
    own foreign policies and policies for Europe. But without United States
    presence, definitely that will be job not completed. So I hope that the
    United States will be visible, just like I ask you if the United States
    will be more visible in the Baltic region over there, just to show our
    neighbors that we're definitely not alone.
        And we are building the democracy together, not, I mean, by
    individually, state by state. And all those years I have worked with you
    here, those over there--memorable, great years. Thank you very much, on
    behalf of all the Lithuanian people.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Yes.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.