[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 23 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[Page 729]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With Amir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of 
Qatar in Doha, Qatar

June 5, 2003

    Amir Hamad. I would like to welcome His Excellency the President in 
Qatar. We are delighted to have him here with us in Qatar. The President 
is the first sitting U.S. President ever to visit Qatar. However, his 
father, President Bush, was actually here in Qatar in 1960, but perhaps 
the President does not remember. He was young then. [Laughter]
    So we are delighted to continue our dialog with the President and 
continue the issues that we have discussed recently in Washington during 
my visit regarding the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
    President Bush. Your Highness, thank you so much for your grand 
hospitality. You have been a steadfast friend of the United States, and 
for that we are very grateful. You and your wife have been a leader in 
education reform and reforms leading to freedom, and for that we are 
very grateful as well and are impressed by your leadership. And it is my 
honor to be the first sitting United States President to have visited 
this important country, and I want to thank you for your hospitality.

Note: The Amir spoke at 8:59 a.m. at Amiri Diwan. In his remarks, the 
President referred to Sheikha Mouza Al-Misnad, consort of the Amir. A 
tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.