[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 51 (Monday, December 22, 2003)]
[Pages 1830-1831]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Digest of Other White House Announcements

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The following list includes the President's public schedule and other 
items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary 
and not included elsewhere in this issue.

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December 13

    In the morning, at Camp David, MD, the President had an intelligence 
briefing.
    In the afternoon, in a telephone conversation with Secretary of 
Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, the President received notice of the 
possible capture of former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq by U.S. 
military personnel in Tikrit, Iraq. Later, he had another telephone 
conversation with Secretary Rumsfeld to discuss further information on 
the possible capture. He then had separate telephone conversations with 
Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza 
Rice to notify them of the possible capture.
    In the evening, the President and Mrs. Bush returned to Washington, 
DC.

December 14

    In the morning, in a telephone conversation with National Security 
Adviser Condoleezza Rice, the President received confirmation of the 
capture of former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. He then had separate 
telephone conversations with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Prime 
Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, and Central Intelligence 
Agency Director George J. Tenet to inform them of the capture. The 
President and Mrs. Bush also watched television coverage of the briefing 
in Baghdad by L. Paul Bremer III, Presidential Envoy to Iraq, announcing 
the capture.
    Later in the morning, the President had a telephone conversation 
with Adnan Pachachi, Acting President of the Governing Council of Iraq, 
to express his congratulations. He also had separate telephone 
conversations with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld; Gen. John P. 
Abizaid, USA, combatant commander, U.S. Central Command; Secretary of 
State Colin L. Powell; and President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain to 
discuss the capture. Also in the morning, the President had a briefing 
on details of the capture.
    In the evening, at the National Building Museum, the President and 
Mrs. Bush participated in the taping of the annual ``Christmas in 
Washington'' concert for later television broadcast.

December 15

    In the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with 
Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada to discuss Canada-U.S. relations. 
He then had an intelligence briefing.
    Later in the morning, the President met with Iraqi Minister of 
Health Khadir Abbas; Rend Rahim Francke, Head of the Iraq Interests 
Section in the U.S.; and a group of Iraqi doctors to discuss health care 
in Iraq.
    The President announced his designation of the following individuals 
as members of a Presidential delegation to attend the funeral of former 
President Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan: Brent Scowcroft (head of 
delegation), Sam Brownback, A. Elizabeth Jones, and Reno L. Harnish.

December 16

    In the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with 
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss the completion of the 
Afghan national highway from Kabul to Kandahar and other developments in 
Afghanistan. He then had an intelligence briefing.
    Later in the morning, in the Oval Office, the President participated 
in a photo opportunity for the Pediatric Equity Research Act of 2003 and 
a signing ceremony for the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited 
Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003. Later, he participated in an 
interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News.
    In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President participated in 
separate signing ceremonies for the National Museum of African American 
History and Culture Act and the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003. He then 
participated in separate photo opportunities for the Vision 100--Century 
of Aviation Reauthorization Act and the Hometown Heroes Survivors 
Benefits Act of 2003.

[[Page 1831]]

    Later in the afternoon, at Blair House, the President and Mrs. Bush 
attended the diplomatic corps holiday reception.
    During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with 
James A. Baker III, his personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt, 
concerning Secretary Baker's discussions with President Jacques Chirac 
of France and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany.
    In the evening, the President attended holiday receptions.

December 17

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, 
he traveled to Kill Devil Hills, NC.
    In the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC.
    In the evening, the President attended holiday receptions.

December 18

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, 
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he had an MRI examination of his 
knees, followed by a brief visit with Secretary of State Colin L. 
Powell, who was recovering from surgery. He then visited U.S. military 
personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and awarded Purple Hearts to 
several of them.
    In the afternoon, the President had a telephone conversation with 
President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia to discuss the capture of former 
President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Colombia's fight against drugs and 
terrorism, and bilateral and regional issues. Later, he had a telephone 
conversation with President Vicente Fox of Mexico to discuss the capture 
and bilateral and regional issues.
    In the evening, the President and Mrs. Bush attended a holiday 
reception.

December 19

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, 
he met with Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson and 
Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters to discuss 
progress toward the President's goals for reducing drug use.
    Also in the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations to exchange holiday 
greetings.
    In the afternoon, the President met with James A. Baker III, his 
personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt.
    In the evening, the President had a holiday dinner with senior White 
House staff.
    The White House announced that the President will travel to 
Monterrey, Mexico, on January 12-13, 2004, to attend the Special Summit 
of the Americas.
    The President announced his intention to designate Mark J. 
Warshawsky as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic 
Policy.
    The President announced his intention to designate Gordon H. 
Mansfield as Acting Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    The President declared a major disaster in the Federated States of 
Micronesia and ordered Federal aid to supplement national and State 
recovery efforts in the area struck by Typhoon Lupit on November 22-26.