[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 18 (Monday, May 9, 2005)]
[Pages 761-763]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With Rustavi 2 Television of Georgia

May 5, 2005

President's Upcoming Visit to Georgia

    Q. Mr. President, let me thank you very much for this opportunity to 
interview you. And on behalf of Georgian people, let me welcome you to 
Georgia.

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    Why have you decided to visit Georgia? None of the American 
Presidents have visited this country before.
    The President. You know, I got to know your President, and I can 
remember him urging me to come to Georgia. He's got such enthusiasm 
about life and about the future of Georgia. And I have been most 
impressed by the aftermath of the Rose Revolution, that I said, ``I want 
to go. I want to see--I want to feel the sense of a new democracy. I 
want to be there to thank the Georgian people for setting such a good 
example for other countries that have followed.'' And so I'm really 
looking forward to the trip.

Georgian Economy/Georgia-Russia Relations

    Q. Mr. President, Georgia faces a lot of problems, among them two 
unresolved conflicts, quite difficult economic situation, Russian 
military presence in the country. How do you see resolving all those 
problems?
    The President. Peacefully. And I think they will be resolved 
peacefully. But you're right. It's difficult to go from a country of--a 
communist country to a free country. It's not easy. I think the 
President understands that and his Government understands that.
    On the economic front, there's a lot of work to be done, but by 
routing out corruption and insisting upon rule of law and transparency, 
that will help to attract investment and capital.
    Secondly, in terms of the regional disputes or the bases, I can help 
some. But the best way to do this--deal with this issue is to do it 
peacefully between Russia and Georgia. And I think we've got a very good 
chance of seeing these issues resolved in a peaceful way. It just takes 
time sometimes to deal with old disputes.

Russia and Democracies in Eastern Europe

    Q. The latest developments of the Eastern European region, I mean, 
the Georgia's Rose Revolution and Orange Revolution----
    The President. Yes.
    Q. ----in Ukraine and elections in Moldova and revolution in 
Kyrgyzstan, caused Russia's negative reaction. And relations between 
Moscow and these countries are getting worse. So how is U.S. going to 
support these transitional democracies in the future?
    The President. No, that's a great question, and the first thing is, 
is that when I see President Putin, I will remind him again that 
democracies on his border will make it easier for Russia to grow in a 
peaceful way. Democracies are peaceful. Democracies don't like war, and 
democracies are the best form of government to deal with animosities and 
concerns.
    And so I will remind him that this is not a plot by anybody or any 
nation. This is just the inevitable course of humankind because all 
humans want to be free. And as Georgia's economy begins to grow and pick 
up, Russia will have a trading partner; Russia will realize that a 
prosperous democracy in her south is good for the people of Russia.

Cooperative Response to Pankisi Gorge Terrorists

    Q. U.S. Department's annual report on terrorism raised some 
questions about the stability in Pankisi Gorge.
    The President. Yes.
    Q. But Georgian Government, with support of U.S., was successful in 
cleaning this gorge of military elements. So how will relations--I mean, 
military cooperation between Georgia and the United States in the 
future?
    The President. Well, I appreciate that. No, it's going to be very 
close, obviously at the request of the Georgian Government. And I--the 
Georgian Government asked for help in routing out the terrorists who had 
lodged themselves in the Pankisi Gorge--training help. We were more than 
happy to provide it. But remember what was interesting about some of 
those operations: There was close cooperation with the Russians. And I 
thought that was very helpful and very instructive about what can 
happen, because it's in Russia's interest, it's in the United States' 
interest, and more importantly, it's in Georgia's interest to make sure 
the Pankisi Gorge is clear of terrorist traffic or terrorist safe haven. 
No country wants terrorists who are willing to cause harm living within 
their border. And so I found this to be a very instructive and 
interesting cooperative arrangement.

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Georgia's Possible NATO Membership

    Q. Georgia is seeking NATO membership.
    The President. Yes.
    Q. How big is chance?
    The President. It's good. But remember, this is a performance-based 
criterion. In other words, there's a way to get into NATO. And I will 
tell President Saakashvili that there's--to look at the countries that 
have recently been admitted and see what decisions they made and how 
they--what they did. And I would hope it's good. But just remember, it's 
a process. It just doesn't happen overnight. And that's not only what I 
have told your President, but I've told the President of Ukraine and 
other countries that are interested in joining NATO.
    Q. Thanks for your precious time, Mr. President.
    The President. Glad you're here. Looking forward to going to 
Georgia. It's going to be an exciting trip.
    Q. I wish you a successful and safest trip.
    The President. Thank you, sir.

Note: The interview was taped at 10:07 a.m. in the Map Room at the White 
House for later broadcast and was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on May 6. In his remarks, the President referred to President 
Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia; President Vladimir Putin of Russia; and 
President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine.