[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 49 (Monday, December 6, 2004)]
[Pages 2892-2893]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria 
and an Exchange With Reporters

December 2, 2004

    President Bush. Mr. President, welcome back. It is great to see you. 
I'm looking forward to working with you over the next years to 
strengthen our relationship, to work on a prosperous continent of 
Africa, to work with you on implementing our strategy to help defeat the 
pandemic of HIV/AIDS. I look forward to our discussion today.
    I particularly want to thank the President for his contributions to 
the peacekeeping forces of the African Union. We have worked together on 
issues such as Liberia, Sudan, and other important parts of the 
continent of Africa. I look forward to a fruitful relationship, and I'm 
glad you're here. I want to welcome you, and thank you for coming, sir.
    President Obasanjo. Thank you very much, sir. Mr. President, let me 
start by congratulating you once again. And let me express our 
appreciation for receiving me and my delegation so very early in your 
preparation for the second term. Of course, you are receiving me not 
only in my capacity as President of Nigeria but also in my capacity as 
the Chairman of AU, continuing that organization.
    I'm looking forward to this meeting to consolidate what we have been 
able to do together, like you have rightly said, in the area of peace 
and security and conflict resolution in Africa, in the area of trade and 
resource flow for Africa, and in the area of fight against terrorism by 
making the world, particularly Africa, a more peaceful and a more 
conducive continent to live in, and of course in the area of security, 
stability, and availability of some of the essential resources for the 
development of the world, but the--[inaudible]--in the Gulf region of 
our continent. I'm looking forward to being able to work with you.
    President Bush. It's good to see you again, sir.
    Scott [Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press], a couple of questions.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations

    Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Do you think questions of fraud in the 
U.N.'s Oil for Food Programme have hurt Kofi Annan, and do you think he 
should resign, as Senator Coleman has urged?
    President Bush. Yesterday I spoke about the United Nations. I said 
the United States participates in multilateral organizations, and we 
expect those organizations to be effective. You know, when an 
organization says there's going to be serious consequences if something 
doesn't happen, it better mean what it says.
    And on this issue, it's very important for the United Nations to 
understand that there ought to be a full and fair and open accounting of 
the Oil for Food Programme. In order for the taxpayers of the United 
States to feel comfortable about supporting the United Nations, there 
has to be an open accounting, and I look forward to that process going 
forward.
    Q. Should he resign, sir?
    President Bush. I look forward to the full disclosure of the facts, 
a good, honest appraisal of that which went on. And it's important for 
the integrity of the organization to have a full and open disclosure of 
all that took place with the Oil for Food Programme.
    Yes, Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

Ukraine

    Q. Sir, should there be a new election in Ukraine, and should it be 
free of Russian influence?
    President Bush. Well, I think any election, if there is one, ought 
to be free from any foreign influence. These elections ought to be open 
and fair. I appreciate the progress that is being made. I particularly 
want to again thank my friend the President of Poland, the President of 
Lithuania, and the EU for its involvement in helping to resolve the 
Ukrainian election crisis.
    The position of our Government is that the will of the people must 
be known and heard. And therefore, I will--we will continue to monitor 
and be involved in a process that encourages there to be a peaceful 
resolution

[[Page 2893]]

of this issue. And you know, there are different options on the table, 
and we're watching very carefully what is taking place. But any election 
in any country must be--must reflect the will of the people and not that 
of any foreign government.
    Yes, Gregory [David Gregory, NBC News].

Iraq

    Q. Mr. President, you're sending more troops to Iraq now. This comes 
on the heels of reports that Iraqi security forces appear to be 
underperforming, appear to be unprepared for elections in January. If 
that's the case, what would be so bad about postponing elections if 
there's the potential that those elections may be seen as illegitimate?
    President Bush. Well, first of all, the elections should not be 
postponed. It's time for the Iraqi citizens to go the polls, and that's 
why we are very firm on the January 30th date. Secondly, I have always 
said that I will listen to the requests of our commanders on the ground. 
And our commanders requested some troops delay their departure home and 
the expedition of other troops to help these elections go forward. And I 
honored their request.
    And thirdly, we are working hard to train Iraqis. And we have got 
certain benchmarks in mind. And General Petraeus is in charge of 
training the Iraqi troops, and the Iraqi ministers in charge of that are 
meeting the goals. And the idea, of course, and the strategy, of course, 
is have the Iraqis defend their own freedom. And we want to help them 
have their Presidential elections. And at some point in time, when Iraq 
is able to defend itself against the terrorists who are trying to 
destroy democracy--as I have said many times--our troops will come home 
with the honor they have earned.
    It's time for those people to vote, and I am looking forward to it. 
It's one of those moments in history where a lot of people will be 
amazed that a society has been transformed so quickly from one of 
tyranny and torture and mass graves to one in which people are actually 
allowed to express themselves at the ballot.
    Thank you all very much.
    Q. Mr. President. Mr. President----
    President Bush. Yes, sir.

U.S. Role in Africa

    Q. As you march into the second term, what will Africa be looking 
forward to in terms of America's contribution to security, especially in 
the Gulf of Guinea.
    President Bush. No, I appreciate that. First of all, Africa was a 
very important part of my first term. I have met with the President--
four or five times?
    President Obasanjo. Four or five----
    President Bush. So many times, it's hard to count.
    President Obasanjo. And at the G-8, I think about 10 times.
    President Bush. Ten times. I have met with other leaders from the 
continent of Africa a lot. I have traveled to Africa. I have made the--
fighting the pandemic of HIV/AIDS a central part of my administration. I 
helped work to extend AGOA on the full belief that economic trade and 
the benefits of trade far exceed the benefits of direct aid. I've worked 
on a Millennium Challenge Account to help encourage the habits of good 
governance. And I will continue that focus and attention on the 
continent of Africa. I think it is vital that the continent of Africa be 
a place of freedom and democracy and prosperity and hope where people 
can grow up and realize their dreams. It's a continent that has got vast 
potential, and the United States wants to help the people of Africa 
realize that potential.
    Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 9:38 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Aleksander Kwasniewski 
of Poland; President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania; and Lt. Gen. David H. 
Petraeus, USA, chief, Office of Security Transition--Iraq.