[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 47 (Monday, November 25, 2002)]
[Pages 2061-2064]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With President Vaclav Havel of the Czech 
Republic in Prague, Czech Republic

November 20, 2002

    President Havel. I am very grateful to President Bush for coming to 
the present NATO summit one day earlier in order to pay some kind of a 
working visit to the Czech Republic. He is the third President of the 
United States who has come to visit us in the 13 years since the 
collapse of the Iron Curtain, and I believe that this is a telling 
feature of the quality of our relationship.
    In our first conversation that has just ended, we have touched upon 
several issues, although, of course, not on all the issues that we would 
like to discuss. President Bush explained the position of the United 
States on Iraq, and I made it clear that I believe that if this issue is 
discussed within the NATO deliberations, as it obviously will be, that I 
would deem it desirable if the outcome of this discussion was reflected 
in some way in the final documents. We also raised the subject of 
transformation of the North Atlantic Alliance, and I believe that there 
was full agreement between us on this matter.
    I have made every effort to extend a truly cordial welcome to 
President Bush, and I will extend an equally cordial reception to all of 
the prominent guests coming for this summit. Perhaps the heart that is 
now shining above Prague Castle may represent a sign of this cordiality 
with which the Czech Republic and me, personally, receive for the 
distinguished guests coming to the summit meeting.
    President Bush. Mr. President, thank you for your hospitality. I 
want to thank you, and I want to thank the Czech people for welcoming 
not only me and our delegation but welcoming many of the leaders of the 
world to a city which is recovering from devastating floods. The fact 
that you were able to host us in such fine fashion speaks to the great 
character of the Czech people.
    And speaking about character, your life has shown that a person who 
dedicates himself to freedom can literally change the course of a nation 
and change the course of history. And I'm honored to be in your presence 
again. The people of the Czech Republic must understand that your 
President is greatly admired in America. I'm proud to call you friend.
    Before I make a few comments, I do want to say something for 
domestic consumption, if that's all right with you. Yesterday, the 
United States Senate voted overwhelmingly to better protect America and 
voted overwhelmingly to help people find work. And I want to thank the 
Members of the United States Senate for working with this administration 
to do the right thing for the American people.
    And tomorrow, we vote on whether or not to expand NATO. I strongly 
support a Europe which is whole, free, and at peace. I welcome the idea 
of countries joining NATO whose history has taught them the need to 
protect freedom at all costs, countries whose admission to NATO will 
invigorate our Alliance. The admission of these countries will not only 
help us militarily achieve peace, but the admission of these countries 
will affect the soul of this most important Alliance.
    We did talk about Iraq. There is universal recognition that Saddam 
Hussein is a threat to world peace. There's clear understanding that he 
must disarm in the name of peace. And we hope he chooses to do so. 
Tomorrow we'll discuss the issue. We'll consider what happens if he 
chooses not to disarm. But one thing is certain: He'll be disarmed, one 
way or the other, in the name of peace.
    We also talked about NATO capabilities. We recognize it's a hard 
task to change the military strategy of this important Alliance. As I 
explained to the President, I've tried eliminating some weapons systems 
in the

[[Page 2062]]

United States. It is a difficult job. But it is a necessary job to 
transform our strategy, our military strategy to meet the true threats 
we face. The enemy is not Russia. The enemy is global terrorists who 
hate freedom. And together we can work to defeat that enemy, in the name 
of freedom.
    Mr. President, thank you for having us. This is an historic meeting, 
an historic city, an historic country, led by an historic figure.
    We'll answer some questions.

Czech-U.S. Relations/Iraq

    Moderator. The first one. Czech Radio.
    Q. I have one question for President Bush, and a second question for 
President Havel.
    President Bush, you have said some lofty words here. The Czech 
Republic----
    President Bush. I said some what?
    Q. Lofty words. [Laughter]
    President Bush. No one has ever accused me of being a poet before, 
but thank you. [Laughter]
    Q. The Czech Republic has been a member of NATO for 3 years now. For 
3 years, we have been an ally of the United States. Are we, to your 
mind, a good ally, and do you count on us in a war with Iraq?
    And the question for President Havel, 12 years ago you met in these 
halls with the father of the President of the United States, President 
George Bush, the elder. Now you are meeting with his son. The situation 
both in the Czech Republic and in the United States has changed fairly 
substantially in those 12 years. Have the relations between the two 
countries changed as well?
    President Bush. Well, first, the Czech Republic is not only a good 
ally; it's a great ally. I can say that with confidence because I have 
heard the President speak about this country's commitment to freedom and 
peace. And the first test of that friendship came right after September 
the 11th. The world for our country changed on September the 11th, and 
the Czech Republic responded quickly.
    Secondly, as to Iraq, it's very important for our nations, as well 
as all free nations, to work collectively to see to it that Saddam 
Hussein disarms. If the collective will of the world is strong, we can 
achieve disarmament peacefully. However, should he choose not to disarm, 
the United States will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm him. 
And at that point in time, all our nations--we will consult with our 
friends, and all nations will be able to choose whether or not they want 
to participate.
    President Havel. President Bush, the elder, and I met during very 
dramatic times, and we have forged a lasting bond of friendship. In 
fact, I twice visited him at Kennebunkport after he left office. And I 
trust that after I leave office, which will be quite soon, my friendship 
with George Bush, the younger, will continue just as well.
    As for the relationship between our two states, I believe that they 
have not only been gradually improved and have grown stronger, but they 
have developed into something that is actually taken for granted now, 
especially by the younger generation. And I believe that we do share a 
great deal of mutual confidence.

NATO/Iraq/Germany

    President Bush. Ron.
    Moderator. Ron Fournier of the Associated Press.
    Q. Mr. President, you just talked about the collective will of the 
world, and I'm wondering--[inaudible]--you said you hope NATO comes 
along----
    President Bush. You hope what?
    Q. You said that you hope NATO comes along with you and Saddam 
Hussein will disarm one way or another. And yet, I don't hear any 
discussion about NATO collectively taking up arms against Iraq should 
war be necessary. Why is that? Why settle for just niche contributions 
from individual allies? And also, what role do you see Germany----
    President Bush. What role do I see----
    Q. What role do you see Germany taking in a war against Iraq?
    President Bush. Well, first, thank you for the ``if we should go to 
war against Iraq.'' War is my last choice, my last option. I hope we can 
do this peacefully.
    It is possible that Saddam Hussein gets the message that we're 
serious about disarmament and he should fully disarm. That's possible. 
The possibility becomes more real if he understands that there is a true 
consequence for his failure to disarm. And there

[[Page 2063]]

is a true consequence. There's a serious consequence, as the U.N. 
resolution addresses.
    Now, you asked about two different parts of NATO. First, by 
``niche'' I mean that in order for there to be an effective NATO, some 
countries can specialize and provide excellence. And the classic example 
is the Czech Republic's ability to deal with biological weapons, the 
aftermath of a biological weapon attack. The Czech Republic is one of 
the very best in the world at a chemical and biological response 
capability. And that's what I was referring to when I talked about the 
capacity of each country to contribute a part of an effective strategy, 
a military strategy, as we head into the 21st century. It's a vision 
which is yet to be implemented, but it's a vision which will be 
discussed here in Prague.
    Of course, the key reason we're here is to talk about NATO expansion 
and the benefits of NATO expansion, not only to encourage the spread of 
freedom in Europe but also to be able to deal with the true threats we 
face in order to defend our freedoms. And my answer, as far as Iraq 
goes, is exactly what I've said previously: If the decision is made to 
use military force, we will consult with our friends, and we hope that 
our friends will join us.
    And as to Germany's role, it's a decision Germany will make, just 
like it's a decision the Czech Republic will make, just like it's a 
decision Great Britain will make. It's a decision that each country must 
decide as to how, if, and when they want to participate and how they 
choose to participate. The point is, is that we will have plenty of 
consultations with our friends.

Future of NATO/Action Against Iraq

    Moderator. [Inaudible]
    Q. Again, one question for President Bush; the next question for 
President Havel.
    President Bush, what do you expect will change after the Prague NATO 
summit in the Euro-Atlantic relationship? What will be--the United 
States expecting from NATO? And on the other hand, what do you think 
that the NATO Allies will expect from the United States?
    And a question for President Havel. Do you think that a clear 
commitment to take an action against Iraq will be expressed at this NATO 
summit? And will you support such as that?
    President Bush. Well, first, I think our NATO partners should expect 
a continued positive and active presence in this most importance 
Alliance from the United States. Our country is committed to NATO. A 
strong and vibrant NATO is in the best interest of America, so we'll be 
active and good partners.
    And we expect the same from our NATO friends. But it's very 
important for us to recognize that in order for NATO to be relevant as 
we go into the future, the military capacities of NATO must be altered 
to meet the true threats we face. NATO must transition from an 
organization that was formed to meet the threats from a Warsaw Pact to a 
military organization meant--structured to meet the threats from global 
terrorists.
    And the people of the Czech Republic should understand that the 
threat from global terrorists is real. These people hate freedom. They 
are coldblooded killers who will take innocent life in the name of a 
hijacked religion.
    Ours is a war not against a religion, not against the Muslim faith, 
but ours is a war against individuals who absolutely hate what America 
stands for and hate the freedom of the Czech Republic. And therefore, we 
must work together to defend ourselves. And by remaining strong and 
united and tough, we'll prevail.
    President Havel. I share the opinion of President Bush, and of all 
reasonable people, that it would be better to achieve Iraq's disarmament 
without using force. If, however, the need to use force does arise, I 
believe that NATO should give an honest and speedy consideration to its 
engagement as an alliance.
    Let us realize that it is not the United States but the European 
part of the Alliance that directly borders on that country, and I 
believe that this kind of a test of its attitude, of its capability to 
reach agreement, and of it's operative capabilities might be, at the 
same time, a test of its new identity and of its meaning in the world of 
today.

[[Page 2064]]

Zero Tolerance Policy

    Moderator. Final question. Steve Holland, Reuters.
    Q. Mr. President, you've said that you have a zero tolerance 
attitude toward Iraqi violations. Secretary Rumsfeld and Kofi Annan say 
they're looking for a pattern of behavior over time. Which is right? How 
do you reconcile these two?
    President Bush. Well, I think there is--we were talking about 
whether or not Saddam Hussein, you know, shooting at our airplanes, what 
that means--we'll deal with that. The United States will take 
appropriate action.
    The thing that's important to--for people to understand is what we 
want to see is whether or not he's going to cooperate, whether or not 
he's heard what the world has said--whether or not he's heard what the 
world has said through the U.N. Security Council resolution.
    See, what happens is people tend to focus on the inspectors as if 
the inspectors are the end. The final--the thing that's important, the 
final point of determination is whether or not he is disarmed.
    So, what we're going to be looking for, and I hope the world joins 
us, is whether or not this man is cooperating with the will of the 
world. See, the world has recognized--many members of NATO have 
recognized that a Saddam Hussein and Iraq which possesses weapons of 
mass destruction is dangerous. Imagine a Saddam Hussein with a nuclear 
weapon. It's important for the Czech people to understand this is guy 
who has poisoned his own people. He's got such hate in his heart he's 
willing to use a weapon of mass destruction not only on his neighborhood 
but on the people of his country.
    He is a danger. And so, therefore, what we're looking for is to 
determine whether or not he is willing to cooperate, whether or not he 
has got the message that he must disarm.
    The United Nations has said 16 different times, ``You must disarm.'' 
And 16 times, he's said, ``Oh, of course, I will,'' but never did. And 
so, the game's over with. We're through with that. And now he's going to 
disarm, one way or the other. In the name of peace, he will be disarmed.
    Thank you all.

Note: The President's news conference began at 9:35 a.m. at Prague 
Castle. President Havel spoke in Czech, and his remarks were translated 
by an interpreter. Some reporters asked their questions in Czech, and 
the questions were translated by an interpreter. In his remarks, 
President Bush referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. A reporter 
referred to Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations.