[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 43 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Pages 1606-1607]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski of 
Macedonia

 October 26, 2005

     President Bush. It's been my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of 
Macedonia to the Oval Office. Prime Minister, I am grateful for your 
friendship. I am grateful for the strong support that you have given in 
our efforts to win the war on terror. You've been a steadfast ally, and 
the American people are grateful. I also appreciate the fact that you 
have committed troops alongside our troops in some of the world's newest 
democracies, in Afghanistan and Iraq. I want to thank you for that as 
well.
     I also appreciate the progress you've made in implementing the 
Ohrid Agreement. You've showed the world that it's possible for people 
of different backgrounds to live together in peace. I want to thank you 
for your leadership. I also compliment you on

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the progress you've made toward implementing the reforms necessary for 
consideration in NATO and the EU. I know this is a big concern to you. I 
want to thank you for sharing your thoughts with me about your country's 
desire to join NATO and your aspirations for the EU. I appreciate that 
very much. Thank you for your confidence.
     All in all, I'm impressed by your leadership and welcome you to the 
Oval Office.
     Prime Minister Buckovski.  Thank you, Mr. President. I feel be here 
in the White House with President Bush--and the historic 10th 
anniversary of the U.S.-Macedonian bilateral relations, which I must 
say, have never been closer. We have agreed that today Macedonia is a 
success story in building a stable, multiethnic democracy in the 
Balkans.
     I thanked President Bush for the continued U.S. support of our 
democracy, specifically for the U.S. role in the implementation of the 
Ohrid Framework Agreement, and to also express the gratitude of the 
people of Macedonian for U.S. recognition of our constitutional name, 
Republic of Macedonia.
     And I told the President that we are proud to have our soldiers in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, and that we intend to stay there as long as it is 
needed. We highly appreciate the leadership of President Bush--and 
advancing freedom and democracy throughout the world. We have both 
emphasized the importance of Macedonia's NATO integration and EU 
candidacy in cementing our progress and helping the region make the 
final step on the path of the Europe.
     And finally, I told President Bush that Macedonia will continue to 
play a positive and constructive role in the Balkans, especially now, 
when Belgrade and Pristina, together, lead the international community, 
will start negotiation about eventual permanent status of Kosovo.
     President Bush. Thank you. Appreciate you.

  Note:  The President spoke at 2:46 p.m. in the Oval Office at the 
White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of 
these remarks.