    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 38 (Monday, September 26, 2005)]
    [Pages 1428-1430]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With the Homeland Security Council and an
    Exchange With Reporters

    September 19, 2005

        The President. I just met with my Homeland Security Council to
    discuss ongoing relief efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane
    Katrina. I have made it clear that I believe it's a national security
    matter for people to review emergency plans. And so, therefore, I've
    instructed Secretary Chertoff and folks around this table to work with
    our local counterparts to make sure that we've got emergency plans in
    place that will deal with significant disaster. And for the local folks,
    I urge them to cooperate in a review of these plans. It's important.
        Secondly, one of the things that I heard loud and clear on my
    travels down there was that people are concerned about redtape. And one
    of the big concerns for the mayors and the Governor of Mississippi, in
    particular, and the mayors along the gulf coast, was this issue about
    debris removal--who's responsible, how can we get it done in an
    effective way. And I want to thank the Secretary for working with
    Governor Barbour on this issue to expedite a process by which we can
    start getting some of this debris removed from a part of our country
    that was just wiped out by this storm; I mean, there are piles and piles
    of homes and buildings just in rubble. And in order to help this region
    get rebuilt, first things first, and that's to get rid of the debris.
    And so we've got a plan in place to cut through the redtape and get this
    done in an effective way.
        On another matter, a couple of other matters--one, I want to
    congratulate the people of Afghanistan for showing up at the polls and
    defying the Taliban and those who threaten their lives and say, look,
    you know, these people supported democracy. It's just another step on
    their road toward a stable democracy, and we congratulate them.
        And as well, I want to welcome the comments of the OPEC and non-OPEC
    nations, talking about making sure they get enough supply on the markets
    to help, hopefully, affect the world price of crude oil. I have been
    concerned about the price at the pump that our folks are paying. Part of
    that was caused

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    by the disruptions of Hurricane Katrina. We dealt with that by
    suspending rules and regulations that enable us to import more gasoline.
    But part of the cost of gasoline is a result of high crude oil prices,
    and one way to affect those prices is to conserve, and the other way is
    to encourage an increased supply. And so I want to thank those countries
    that are trying to figure out how to get more supply on the market to
    help relieve some of the pressure.
        Be glad to answer some questions. Jennifer [Jennifer Loven,
    Associated Press] and Adam [Adam Entous, Reuters] will be asking
    questions today.

    New Orleans

        Q. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Mayor Nagin in New Orleans has invited
    people to start returning to that city, when there are lots of Federal
    officials who feel that it's not safe to do so. Do you feel like you
    need to step in?
        The President. Well, we have made our position very clear. Admiral
    Allen has made the position very clear, of this Government, and that is
    that we share the goal of the mayor, but we have got concerns. There are
    environmental concerns, which Administrator Johnson shared with us
    today.
        Let me give you a real concern that I think everybody ought to pay
    attention to, and that is this Tropical Storm Rita, which now looks like
    it's going to head out into the gulf and could track Katrina, or it
    could head further to the west. But nevertheless, there is deep concern
    about this storm causing more flooding in New Orleans.
        And so Admiral Allen has reflected our--the concerns of this
    administration. And we want to work with the mayor. The mayor is working
    hard. The mayor has got this dream about having a city up and running,
    and we share that dream. But we also want to be realistic about some of
    the hurdles and obstacles that we all confront in repopulating New
    Orleans.
        Q. Will you express that concern yourself to the mayor?
        The President. Well, I just did, but, as well--absolutely.
    Secretary--``Secretary,'' I call--Andy Card, former Secretary, and now
    Chief of Staff Card is reaching out to him--has reached out to him
    earlier. But listen, Admiral Allen is our man on the ground. Admiral
    Allen speaks for the administration. He is--and the mayor knows our
    position. But I repeat, and the mayor needs to hear it, and so do the
    people of New Orleans, our objective--listen, I went there, and stood in
    Jackson Square to say, we want this city to reemerge. As I said, I can't
    imagine America without a vibrant New Orleans. It's just a matter of
    timing, and there's issues to be dealt with. If it were to rain a lot,
    there is concern from the Army Corps of Engineers that the levees might
    break. And so, therefore, we're cautious about encouraging people to
    return at this moment of history.
        Adam.

    North Korea

        Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Given what you've said in the past
    about North Korea's record of noncompliance, what makes you think that
    this time North Korea will abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons?
        The President. Five nations, in working with North Korea, have come
    up with a formula which we all hope works. Five nations have spoken and
    said it is not in the world's interest that North Korea have a nuclear
    weapon. And now there's a way forward. And part of the way forward is
    for the North Koreans to understand that we're serious about this and
    that we expect there to be a verifiable process. In other words, they
    have said, in principle, that they will abandon their weapons programs.
    And what we have said is, ``Great, that's a wonderful step forward, but
    now we've got to verify whether or not that happens.''
        It was a positive step yesterday. It was a step forward in making
    this world a more secure place. And I want to thank our other partners
    in the six-party dialog, you know, by working together. The question is,
    over time, will all parties adhere to the agreement?
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:25 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi;
    Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, USCG, U.S. Coast Guard Chief of Staff; and
    Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans, LA.

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