[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[October 29, 2008]
[Page 1344]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Meeting With President Masoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq
October 29, 2008

    President Bush. President Barzani, welcome back to the Oval Office. 
It's been a while since we have seen each other, but we have talked on 
the phone quite frequently, and the reason why is because you've played 
a very instrumental part in the development of a free Iraq. And I thank 
you for your leadership, and I thank you for your personal friendship.
    We had a discussion today on several major topics. We talked about 
the progress on the election law and on the hydrocarbon law, but we also 
talked about the status of forces agreement, called the SOFA. President 
Barzani has been a very strong advocate of the Iraqi Government passing 
the SOFA, and I appreciate that.
    I informed the President we received amendments today from the 
Government. We're analyzing those amendments. We obviously want to be 
helpful and constructive without undermining basic principles. And I 
remain very hopeful and confident that the SOFA will get passed. And, 
Mr. President, you get a lot of credit for your leadership on that 
issue.
    So I'm proud to welcome you back here. Again, I thank you very much 
for your courage and your leadership.
    President Barzani. Thank you very much, Mr. President. It's good 
that there has been another opportunity for us to visit with you again. 
I am here to convey the gratitude of the Iraqi people in general and the 
people of Kurdistan in particular, for the brave decision that you've 
made to rid us of this dictatorship.
    We are very grateful for all the brave souls, women and men in 
uniform, who paid their dear lives in the process. And we are very 
grateful to the American people and to you, Mr. President, for this 
sacrifice.
    And despite the fact that there remain some major problems, we have 
also to look at all the big achievements that have been made thus far. 
Let's look at the elections and the Constitution that has been ratified. 
So these are major achievements that we are proud of. And we are 
determined to solve all the problems that still exist, according to the 
Constitution.
    And in terms of SOFA, we do believe that it is in the interest of 
the Iraqi Government, it's in the interest of this country, and we have 
been and we will continue to support it and support its ratification.
    Thank you very much, Mr. President.
    President Bush. Thank you, Mr. President.

Note: The President spoke at 11:37 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. President Barzani spoke in Kurdish, and his remarks were 
translated by an interpreter.