[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 27 (Monday, July 11, 2005)]
[Pages 1138-1141]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Tony Blair of the 
United Kingdom and an Exchange With Reporters in Auchterarder, Scotland

July 7, 2005

    Prime Minister Blair. Good morning, everyone. First of all, can I 
say a warm welcome to the President of the United States here at the G-8 
summit. And I hope and believe we'll have a good and productive couple 
of days. You know the issues that are there--Africa and climate change--
and I hope and believe we can make progress on both of them.
    We've had a good discussion this morning, and the commitments that 
we've entered into over the past period of time on Africa, as you know, 
has--through the focus of the G-8, I think has meant that we are in a 
position where I hope, very much, we can meet the reasonable 
expectations of many millions of people outside.
    And on climate change, obviously, we've been discussing the issue 
and whether it's going to be possible to move into a different position 
on this issue in the future, where the world can come together. I 
certainly hope so.
    Obviously, again, we discussed the broad range of issues too, the 
issue of Iraq, and Iran, the broader Middle East, and so on--the normal 
range of issues you'd expect.
    So I think that's all I really need to say by way of opening. The 
President will say a few words. And then we just--I've got the President 
of China coming shortly that I have to go and greet. And we'll take a 
question from the British and a question from the Americans, if that's 
okay.
    Mr. President.
    President Bush. Thank you, Tony. It's a beautiful day for a bike 
ride. [Laughter] So was yesterday, I thought. But thank you for your 
leadership. This is going to be a successful summit.
    The reason why is, is that the Prime Minister set very important 
goals for the industrialized world to meet, one of which is to help 
impoverished people on the continent of Africa. I'm proud of my Nation's 
contribution toward meeting that goal. I think the world, when they take 
a good look at what we've achieved here, will say that all of us are 
living up to the admonition that to whom much is given, much is 
required.
    I bring some specific projects to the table. One is to do something 
about malaria on the continent of Africa. Another is to educate young 
girls on the continent of Africa. Another is to help battered women on 
the continent of Africa as well as our broader initiatives of trade and 
HIV/AIDS initiative.
    Speaking about trade, I think it's very important for the world to 
hear very clearly the position of the United States, and that is that we 
want to work with the EU to rid our respective countries of agricultural 
subsidies. The best place to do that is at the Doha round. I would hope 
that by 2010, that the Doha round will achieve that objective.
    Secondly, the Prime Minister has put global climate change on the 
table. This is an important issue. It's an issue that we--where there's 
been disagreement in the past. But I think if people, again, look at 
what the Prime Minister, through his leadership, has achieved, there is 
a consensus that we need to move forward together.
    The way to move forward together is to--is to recognize, one, 
there's a problem, which I have--since I've been the President, and two, 
that there is a constructive way to deal with the problem. The most 
constructive way

[[Page 1139]]

to deal with the problem from our perspective is, one, to not only 
include the United States in discussions but also include developing 
countries in discussions, countries like India and China.
    So you made a wise move, Mr. Prime Minister, to have invited India 
and China to this conference, where we will discuss our economic growth 
potential, coupled with the need to be wise stewards of the environment.
    Secondly, this is a great opportunity to discuss the need to share 
technologies. We're spending over $20 billion a year on the issue of 
global warming and on the issue of how to diversify ourselves away from 
a hydrocarbon-based economy, so that we can not only have economic 
security and better national security but also so we can deal with this 
important issue. And I look forward to the discussions we're going to 
have on this important topic.
    As the Prime Minister said, we also talked about the freedom agenda. 
One of the interesting discussions we're going to have this afternoon is 
progress being made between the Palestinians and Israelis. And I believe 
Jim Wolfensohn is coming, who is representing not only the United States 
but also members of the EU, to discuss a way forward. And I look forward 
to having that discussion and look forward to concrete ways that we all 
can contribute to this very important process.
    All and all, Mr. Prime Minister, you've done a fine job. Thanks for 
having us. You picked a beautiful location, and of course, you've 
painted a beautiful day for us.
    Thank you.
    Prime Minister Blair. Thank you very much. Okay, Tom [Tom Raum, 
Associated Press]--one UK, then one----

Climate Change

    Q. Mr. President, could I ask you about climate change? First of 
all, have you in any way changed your own view about this? And do you 
regard emissions targets as now off the table in terms of resolving this 
problem?
    President Bush. I think if you look at a speech I gave in the Rose 
Garden there at the White House, I believe it was in the year 2001, I 
recognized that greenhouse gases were an issue and that we must deal 
with it. I also strongly believe that technologies and the proper use of 
technologies will enable the world to grow our economies, and at the 
same time, be wiser about how we protect the environment.
    I said that based upon scientific evidence, the goal of the United 
States is to reduce, neutralize--neutralize and then reduce emissions of 
greenhouse gases over time. And so my position has been pretty steady. 
What I didn't agree to was a way forward that, one, would have 
endangered our economy, and a way forward that excluded developing 
nations. I think there's a better way.
    And the reason I'm appreciative of the Prime Minister for putting 
this on the--putting this issue on the agenda is that we're now 
developing the better way forward. And the United States is more than 
happy to participate----
    Q. ----including targets----
    President Bush. We believe there's a better way than--actually, I've 
set targets. The targets I've set are based upon efficiency standards 
that we would reduce greenhouse gases by 18 percent, relative to our 
economic growth. And we're meeting those targets.
    But the former construct just didn't work for us. And I fully 
recognize that by making that point, it was not a popular position in 
parts of the world. Now is the time to get beyond the Kyoto period and 
develop a strategy forward that is inclusive not only of the United 
States but of the developing nations and, of course, nations like Great 
Britain.
    And so the Prime Minister did the world a service by putting this on 
the agenda, and it's a chance to talk constructively and positively 
about what is possible. For example, for the United States to--for our 
own economic security and national security, we have got to become less 
dependent on hydrocarbons. And the best way to do that is to develop new 
ways to power our automobiles through a--and so I've laid out a hydrogen 
initiative in which we're going to spend over a billion dollars to 
develop research necessary to help foster new ways to power 
automobiles--by the way, which will have an enormous effect on the 
future state of the environment.
    So here's a way, for example, for us to work together. And it's--
Great Britain can be a

[[Page 1140]]

great part of the hydrogen initiative, and I think the Prime Minister 
wants to be. Japan, of course, will play a leading role in the hydrogen 
initiative, and Prime Minister Koizumi is at the table. Germany should 
play a great role. In other words, there's an opportunity for those of 
us who have got the capacity to spend research dollars to share 
information. As I told you, we're spending over $20 billion a year to be 
better stewards of the environment and, at the same time, make sure that 
in the out years, we can grow our economy in a reasonable way.
    Sorry, go ahead.
    Prime Minister Blair. I was just going to come in here and say, I 
think you've got to understand what we're trying to do here. And I think 
people do, but it's just worth me saying this: There's no point in going 
back over the Kyoto debate. My country has got its position on Kyoto, as 
have others; America has got its position on Kyoto. That is an argument 
that there has been, and we can't resolve that, and we're not going to 
negotiate some new treaty on climate change at the G-8 summit. That's 
not what it's about.
    What it is about is seeing whether it will be possible in the future 
to bring people back into consensus together, not just America and 
Europe and Japan but also America, Europe, Japan, and the emerging 
economies like China, like India, who in the future, are going to be the 
major consumers of energy.
    Now, can we do that? I don't know. But it's important that we at 
least begin a process of dialog that allows us to make progress on it. 
And as you've just heard, it's not that America is saying, ``Well, we 
don't care about this issue.'' The investment in research and 
development into clean technologies is probably greater in America than 
any other country in the world. The question is, can we, as we go 
forward, create the conditions in which, when Kyoto ends, which it does 
in 2012, it's possible for the world to move into consensus? And if it 
isn't possible, then we've got a real problem for the future.
    So it's important we set out the ambitions for this summit in a 
measured way. We're not going to resolve every single issue at the G-8 
summit in relation to this, but I think what we can do is narrow the 
issues down, get agreement that there is a problem, that we need to 
tackle it, that we need to move forward together in doing so, and then 
give ourselves the pathways--I said to you guys yesterday--give 
ourselves the pathway into a process that will allow us, post-Kyoto, to 
get back into agreement.
    And that's--and no disrespect to anyone's position on the existing 
Kyoto treaty. Everyone has got their positions on that, and that's not 
going to change. There's no point in thinking that's going to change, 
but the future is crucial.
    President Bush. I'm trying to recover from my faux pas yesterday. I 
made a terrible mistake yesterday. Toby [Tabassum Zakaria, Reuters]--
[laughter]. Listen, I don't want to revisit--I don't----
    Prime Minister Blair. That's an intro for the American media. 
[Laughter]
    President Bush. I don't want to revisit the mistake. Let's just say, 
slightly offensive--wrong gender when I called on her.

Proposed Unocal Corporation Purchase

    Q. Mr. President, how can the United States, on one hand, urge China 
to play by the rules of the global economy and move toward a flexible 
currency and, on the other hand, efforts by Chinese companies like CNOOC 
to expand seem to be running into some roadblocks?
    President Bush. Well, what she's referring to is the fact that a 
Chinese oil company that's owned by the Government is attempting to 
purchase U.S. assets. And there's been some concern expressed by Members 
of the Congress in the form of a resolution that said that we are 
concerned about economic security--and national security for that 
matter--when it comes to a state-owned company purchasing private 
assets.
    There is a process that our Government uses to analyze such 
purchases--or intent to purchase. And it's best that I allow that 
process to move forward without comment.
    Thank you.
    Prime Minister Blair. Okay, thanks very much, guys. See you later.

President's Bike Accident

    Q. How are you?
    President Bush. Feeling good, yes. Great. Ready to go for another 
ride.

[[Page 1141]]

    Q. ----did your legs up badly?
    President Bush. No. Talked to the policeman last night. He's doing 
fine. I'm less worried about myself and more worried about him. It just 
goes to show that I should act my age. [Laughter]
    Q. Were you wearing a helmet?
    President Bush. Absolutely.
    Q. Did you crash into his bike?
    President Bush. No, no, he was standing. I hit slick pavement. I 
was--we were flying coming in. And by the way, when you ride hard on a 
mountain bike, sometimes you fall. Otherwise--otherwise, you're not 
riding hard. And it was at the end of a good hour ride. The pavement was 
slick, and the bike came out from underneath me--just like that--just 
like that person on the Tour de France the other day. He's a lot better 
bike rider than I am, but--[laughter]--that other American.
    Q. It's something to do when you retire----
    President Bush. I don't think so. I think I'm--I think I found my 
limitations. But, I can't--for those of you who like to mountain bike, I 
would strongly suggest getting out in this beautiful countryside. It is 
a spectacular part of the world. Just be careful on the finish. 
[Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 8:39 a.m. at the Gleneagles Hotel. In his 
remarks, he referred to James D. Wolfensohn, Quartet Special Envoy for 
Gaza Disengagement; and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. Prime 
Minister Blair referred to President Hu Jintao of China. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of these remarks.