    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 12 (Monday, March 22, 2004)]
    [Pages 413-415]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
    of the Netherlands and an Exchange With Reporters

    March 16, 2004

        President Bush. Here's what we're going to do. We'll have a couple
    opening statements. I'll call upon an American press; the Prime Minister
    will call upon somebody from the Dutch press; American press; Dutch
    press; and that's it. Thank you all for coming.
        Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. I'm glad you're back. Thank you for a--
    your friendship. Thank you for your clear understanding about the need
    for us to work together to achieve a more free and peaceful world. I
    appreciate our bilateral relations are strong. We had a wide-ranging
    discussion, talking about a variety of issues, whether it be foreign
    policy or the economy. It was a good, frank discussion, and I appreciate
    my friend being here again. Welcome.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. George, thanks again for the hospitality.
    We had, indeed, a very good discussion. We talked about issues around
    Iraq, the role of the United Nations, by example. We talked about the
    cooperation in the economic sphere, developments in Afghanistan. We also
    talked about values in society, an important issue. And especially, we
    talked about terrorism, the fight against terrorism, and it is important
    that the world society, international community, stands shoulder to
    shoulder and shows

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    its solidarity to fight against these terrible attacks. And we share
    that same view, and we will work together, also, in the second half of
    this year, when the Netherlands is taking over the Presidency of the
    European Union.
        President Bush. Yes.
        We'll answer a couple questions here. We'll start with you, Terry
    Hunt [Associated Press].

    Implications of Terrorist Attack in Spain

        Q. Thank you, sir. Mr. President, do you think terrorists have
    reason to believe that they can influence elections and policy, given
    the outcome of what happened in Spain?
        President Bush. I think terrorists will kill innocent life in order
    to try to get the world to cower. I think--these are coldblooded
    killers. I mean, they'll kill innocent people to try to shake our will.
    That's what they want to do, and they'll never shake the will of the
    United States. We understand the stakes, and we will work with our
    friends to bring justice to the terrorists.
        They have not only killed in Spain; they've killed in the United
    States; they've killed in Turkey; they've killed in Saudi Arabia. They
    kill wherever they can. And it's essential that the free world remain
    strong and resolute and determined.
        Want to call on somebody from your press?

    Iraq

        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President, according to opinion polls,
    most Dutch people want to withdraw the Dutch troops from Iraq. Many
    Dutch people think the war in Iraq has little to do with the war against
    terrorism and may actually encourage terrorism. How would you respond to
    those Dutch people who want to withdraw?
        President Bush. I would ask them to think about the Iraqi citizens
    who don't want people to withdraw, because they want to be free. And I
    would remind the Dutch citizens that Al Qaida has an interest in Iraq
    for a reason, and that interest is, they realize this is a front in the
    war on terror, and they fear the spread of freedom and democracy in
    places like the greater Middle East. They can't stand the thought of
    free societies springing up in the Middle East, because they understand
    a free society is against their very wishes. And so it's essential that
    we remain side by side with the Iraqi people as they begin the process
    of self-government.
        And we're making good progress. The basic law that was written by
    the Governing Council was a substantial piece of work that talked about
    freedoms, the very same freedoms that we honor in America or in the
    Netherlands. And it's essential that we help Iraq--and Afghanistan--
    develop into free societies, which in itself will start changing the
    regions in which they exist.
        Adam, [Adam Entous, Reuters] yes.
        Q. Thank you, Mr. President.
        President Bush. You're looking fine today, Adam, but the tie--
    [laughter].

    2004 Election

        Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Candidate Kerry has suggested he has
    support of world leaders. Do you think he should--that should be a
    factor in the campaign? Was that an appropriate thing for him to say?
        President Bush. I think it's--if you're going to make an accusation
    in the course of a Presidential campaign, you ought to back it up with
    facts.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. I won't talk about that issue.
        President Bush. Okay, fine.
        Prime Minister Balkenende. It has to do with the campaign here in
    the United States.

    Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, have you convinced the Prime Minister of the
    Netherlands to leave the Dutch troops in Iraq?
        President Bush. The Prime Minister will make a--the appropriate
    decision. It's his decision to make. We both agree that a free Iraq is
    essential to a peaceful world. We both understand the stakes. We both
    know that Al Qaida is interested in fighting us in Iraq. How do we know?
    We know because they've said so publicly. Al Qaida understands the
    stakes. Al Qaida wants us out of Iraq, because Al Qaida wants to use
    Iraq as an example of defeating freedom and democracy. And so the Prime
    Minister has got issues at home that he'll deal with, but there's no
    doubt that he understands the stakes and the historic opportunity with
    which we're faced.

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        Prime Minister Balkenende. It's good to add that we did not talk
    about the situation after the half of July. That is the responsibility
    of the Dutch Government and Dutch Parliament, and we'll talk about it,
    as I made it clear already, earlier. But I think it's very good to look
    always to the situation of the Iraq people and the international
    struggle against terrorism. Therefore, it's so important that countries
    are working together, and they can draw the same lines. That's very
    important, but it has nothing to, at this moment, to the decisionmaking
    as far as the situation after the first of July is concerned.
        President Bush. Thanks, good job.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:14 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.