[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 41 (Monday, October 15, 2001)]
[Pages 1449-1450]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Secretary General Lord Robertson of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
October 10, 2001
The President. Lord Robertson, thank you very much for coming. I
appreciate your friendship, and I appreciate the consultations we just
had.
I want to welcome Nick Burns, our Ambassador to NATO, and of course,
Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well.
Within 28 hours of the assault on September 11th, NATO, for the
first time in its 52 years of existence, invoked the Collective Defense
Clause. It didn't take long for our friends to respond. A lot of that
had to do with the leadership of Lord Robertson. This was an act of
great friendship in a time of great need, and our country will never
forget.
Today, NATO nations are acting together in a broad campaign against
terror. Britain is side by side with us in Afghanistan. The nations of
NATO are sharing intelligence, coordinating law enforcement, and
cracking down on the financing of terrorist organizations. Some NATO
members will provide logistic support to military operations, and others
have offered to fight if we deem necessary.
And right now, in a unprecedented display of friendship, NATO air
surveillance aircraft are on their way to the United States to help keep
our country safe. Lord Robertson, I want to thank you for that, as well,
and so do the American people. This has never happened before, that NATO
has come to help defend our country. But it happened in this time of
need, and for that, we're grateful.
Together, we're building a very strong coalition against terror. And
NATO is the cornerstone of that coalition. But I want to remind my
fellow citizens, the coalition goes way beyond NATO.
Russia is sharing intelligence and offering strong diplomatic
support. The Organization of American States invoked the collective
defense clause of the Rio Treaty. Japan and Korea are offering
logistical and other support. I had a great conversation with Jiang
Zemin of China about his desire to join us in fighting terrorist
activities.
Military forces from Australia and New Zealand are standing by to
assist in combat roles if needed. In Africa, the Organization of African
Unity has moved quickly and strongly to condemn the attacks, and many
are offering basic services, such as overflight and the sharing of
intelligence.
In the Middle East, many nations, including Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi
Arabia, are offering law enforcement, intelligence, and other
cooperation. In short, many nations understand what NATO expressed, that
an attack on us is really an attack on legitimate governments and on
freedom.
I want to welcome again our friend to the Rose Garden. Lord
Robertson has provided
[[Page 1450]]
extraordinary leadership for an incredibly important alliance. He's a
good Scotsman, like many Americans are. He could have been a Texan, it
seems like to me, because he is courageous, open, forthright, and not
afraid to take a stand and to do what's right for freedom.
Lord Robertson, welcome to the Rose Garden.
Secretary General Lord Robertson. Mr. President, thank you for these
kind and generous words. I'll take them back to the headquarters of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, because that is the organization
that you're part of, we're part of, and which has stood in solidarity
over all of these years.
I want to pay a tribute to your leadership during this difficult
time for your country, in this difficult time for the world, as well. We
stand shoulder to shoulder in a new kind of struggle, and a struggle
that we have to win.
The NATO Allies, in the wake of the terrible atrocities of the 11th
of September, wanted to move beyond sadness and sympathy, and we moved
to solidarity and support. And that is why we invoked Article 5 of the
Washington Treaty, conceived here in Washington in 1949 in very
difficult circumstances and where the language is clear and simple: An
attack on one is an attack on all of the nations of the Alliance.
NATO still represents the biggest permanent coalition on this
planet: 19 nations in the Alliance, 27 nations in addition in the
Partnership For Peace and part of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
And NATO is providing now, as you said, serious and strong practical
support to the United States and the U.S.-led coalition operations that
are going on in the world today: a unique contribution, political
cohesion through Article 5; real capabilities, like the AWACS aircraft
that will be flying over continental United States by Friday of this
week; the tying-in of the partners and the partnership, military
interoperability that worked so well for the coalition in the Gulf war;
and a new look at the adaptation of forces so that we're ready to deal
with the threats of the future, just as we were able to deal with the
enemies of the past.
So the Alliance will continue to combine the best of America and
Europe at this difficult and troubled time.
These terrorists are not 10 feet tall. They are not insuperable.
They're not unvanquishable. But we are, and we can win, and we certainly
will win. And I'm very, very proud that NATO and the 19 nations of the
Alliance are at the heart of a global coalition against the most evil
criminals of our age.
I'm very proud, Mr. President, that you thought fit to describe me
as a candidate for being a Texan. [Laughter] Given my background, I know
that you've been in Scotland before, and I haven't been in Texas. But
I'll take it as a compliment, and I believe that you could be a
Scotsman, as well--[laughter]--like the great Scotsmen who made this
great country as well and who, at the moment, happen to be leading this
Alliance. And this Scotsman, in particular, is proud to be doing it and
is determined that we'll win.
Thank you very much.
The President. Thank you, sir. God bless you. Thanks for coming.
Note: The President spoke at 1:51 p.m. in the Colonnade at the White
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Jiang Zemin of China.