[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 20 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Pages 846-847]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Konstandinos Karamanlis 
of Greece

May 20, 2005

    President Bush. Thank you all for coming. It's my pleasure to 
welcome the Prime Minister back. It's good to see you, sir.
    America and Greece have got a strategic partnership. That's 
important. It's important for our respective peoples, and it's important 
we work together to spread freedom and peace.

[[Page 847]]

    I want to welcome you here. Last time you were here, we were talking 
about the Olympics. I told the Prime Minister I was confident that the 
Government would make sure the Olympics were secure. I was so confident 
I sent my family. And not only did you keep your word, my parents and 
my--some of my relatives had a fabulous time in a spectacular country.
    I look forward to visiting with you on a variety of subjects, the 
freedom agenda, freedom in the greater Middle East, the Balkans. I look 
forward to talking to you about how best we can work together to 
continue to spread liberty. So I'm proud you're here, and welcome to the 
United States.
    Prime Minister Karamanlis. Well, it's my second visit with President 
Bush within almost a year. And I'm happy to say that this reflects the 
excellent bilateral relations we have and, of course, our determination 
to further our partnership to promote the areas of mutual interest, the 
common goals we have. And I think that it's going to be the outcome of 
this meeting as well to keep working closely in matters which are very 
important to both of us in both countries.
    President Bush. Good man. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 1:14 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.