[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 24 (Monday, June 17, 2002)]
[Pages 983-984]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel 
and an Exchange With Reporters

June 10, 2002

    President Bush. It's my honor to welcome back Israel's Prime 
Minister to the Oval Office. Every time the Prime Minister comes, we 
have a very frank and good exchange. Today we talked about how to 
achieve peace in the Middle East. I reiterated my strong view that we 
need to work toward two states living side by side in peace. And we 
talked about how to achieve this--how to achieve security and peace and 
economic hope for all people in the region.
    I appreciate so very much the Prime Minister's coming and 
willingness to share his views about his country's future. Every time he 
comes, I learn a lot. And I want to thank you for coming, Mr. Prime 
Minister.
    Prime Minister Sharon. Thank you.
    President Bush. Do you want to say a few things?
    Prime Minister Sharon. Yes. I would like to thank you, Mr. 
President, for having me again here. I think it was a very interesting 
and fruitful talks about reaching a peace in the Middle East. Israel is 
a peace-seeking country. We believe in peace; we are committed to peace.
    Of course, in order to achieve peace in the Middle East, first of 
all we have to have security; it should be a full cessation of terror 
hostilities and incitement. And of course, we must have a partner for 
negotiations. At the present time, we don't see yet a partner. We hope 
it'll be a partner there with whom we'll be able to move forward, first 
to achieve a doable peace in the area and second, of course, to provide 
security to the citizens of our countries.
    And of course, one of the most important things is how really to 
take on the necessary steps to make the life of the Palestinians and 
other nations in the region better than they are now. These are, I would 
say, were the main subject of our talks today.
    Again, thank you so much.
    President Bush. You bet.
    Fournier [Ron Fournier, Associated Press].
    Q. Yes, sir.
    President Bush. And then we'll alternate.

Israeli Position on Resumption of the Peace Process

    Q. I have a question to you, sir.
    President Bush. That's good. That's a--that's a reform.
    Q. Is Israel hurting the peace process with repeated incursions and 
by ruling out, even as you're trying to jump-start the peace process, a 
withdrawal to the country's 1967 borders?
    President Bush. There are people in the Middle East who want to use 
terror as a way to disrail--derail any peace process. And we've got to 
work together to create the conditions that prevent a few from stopping 
what most people in the region want, which is peace.
    Israel has a right to defend herself. And at the same time, as 
Israel does so, the Prime Minister is willing to discuss the conditions 
necessary to achieve what we want, which is a secure region and a 
hopeful region. And that's why we discussed reforms necessary for the--
that would enable a Palestinian Authority to emerge, which could give 
great confidence to two people, the Israelis and, as important, the 
Palestinians. And that's important.
    And so we're going to continue to work together, along with other 
Arab--along with some of the Arab leaders, to fight off terror, to 
prevent the few from dictating against the will of the many in the 
region.

[[Page 984]]

Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority

    Q. [Inaudible]--of Israel Channel Two. Mr. President, there's a wide 
concern within the Israel Government that, after the next terror bombs, 
there should be an expelling of Arafat from the region. What do you 
think about it? Do you think it's fruitful--a fruitful move that will, 
as you said, would merge the terrorists and the Palestinian side? Or 
it's a destructive move that will hurt the peace process?
    President Bush. I don't think Mr. Arafat is the issue.
    Q. He is the issue----
    President Bush. Excuse me for a minute. Let me start over. I don't 
think Mr. Arafat is the issue. I think the issue is the Palestinian 
people. And as I have expressed, myself, I am disappointed that he has 
not led in such a way that the Palestinian people have hope and 
confidence. And so, therefore, what we've got to do is work to put 
institutions in place which will allow for a government to develop which 
will bring confidence not only to Israelis but the Palestinians.
    Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

Arrest of Abdullah al Muhajir

    Q. Mr. President, sir, what can you tell us about this dirty-bomb 
plot? Is there still a threat? And if this had happened, was Washington, 
DC, the target?
    President Bush. I can tell you that we have a man detained who is a 
threat to the country and that, thanks to the vigilance of our 
intelligence gathering and law enforcement, he is now off the streets, 
where he should be. And I'll let the Defense Department, Justice 
Department comment on the specifics.

Regional Ministerial Peace Summit

    Q. [Inaudible]--Radio. Mr. President, I would like to hear your view 
about the regional summit we all discussed. Do you think that this 
regional summit should be based on the Security Council Number 1397, 
calling to establish a Palestinian state, which you mention in your 
vision? Or do you think it just should be based on the 242 and 338 
Resolution that we all know about?
    President Bush. Look, I think--here's the thing: I think that we 
need to have a--well, first of all, let's get the summit in context. 
You're talking about the proposed summit this summer, a ministerial 
summit of people that come together to work toward the conditions 
necessary to establish a peace. See, the conditions aren't even there 
yet--that's because no one has confidence in the emerging Palestinian 
government.
    And so, first things first, and that is, what institutions are 
necessary to give the Palestinian people hope and to give the Israelis 
confidence that the emerging government will be someone with whom they 
can deal? And that's going to require security steps, transparency when 
it comes to economic matters, anticorruption devices, rule of law 
enforced by a court system.
    Now, it is very important for people to understand that as these 
steps are taken, as this--people work together to achieve the 
institutions necessary for peace, that there is a political process on 
the horizon as well. But the ministerial meetings that the Secretary of 
State, Colin Powell, suggested are all aimed at achieving--working 
toward the foundation necessary for there to be confidence and eventual 
peace.
    Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 12 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, President Bush referred to Abdullah al Muhajir, 
formerly known as Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen and suspected terrorist 
who was arrested on May 8 in Chicago, IL.