[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 4 (Monday, January 30, 2006)]
[Page 121]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of 
Pakistan

January 24, 2006

    President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. We have just had a 
wide-ranging discussion, which one should expect when we've got a 
strategic relationship like we have with Pakistan. I think the 
relationship with Pakistan is a vital relationship for the United 
States, and I want to thank the Prime Minister and thank the President 
for working closely with us on a variety of issues. We're working 
closely to defeat the terrorists who would like to harm America and harm 
Pakistan.
    We talked about the importance of trade and commerce and investment, 
and we also talked about the world response to the terrible tragedy that 
Pakistan has gone through. It's hard to imagine the devastation. The 
country lost 75,000 people; 4 million people were made homeless. I was 
very pleased that the United States, our taxpayers, our military could 
contribute to helping the people of Pakistan recover. They are our 
friends, and we consider this friendship to be a vital friendship for 
keeping the peace.
    And so Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for coming. I'm really looking 
forward to going to your country. I'll be traveling to India and 
Pakistan in March. And I want to thank you for your invitation and your 
hospitality in advance.
    Prime Minister Aziz. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for 
receiving us. The United States and Pakistan have a multifaceted 
relationship, covering a host of areas. It goes back in history, and the 
people of Pakistan value the relationship very much.
    Let me, at the outset, say that the assistance the United States has 
given to Pakistan--the Chinooks, the MASH hospitals, the engineers, and 
the financial assistance after the earthquake--has touched the hearts 
and minds of all Pakistanis--and including your private sector and civil 
society. We really appreciate what has been done, and it will help 
restore the lives of the people who've been impacted by the earthquake. 
A sense of caring and sharing always builds a better relationship 
between countries. And that's what we are seeing between Pakistan and 
the United States.
    Mr. President, we have a multifaceted relationship, and our 
discussions today, which we'll continue later, have covered a host of 
areas: the economic side, trade and investment--we are very keen to 
expand that. Pakistan has a growing economy, and U.S. investors can take 
part in this growth.
    We also strive for peace in our area. It's an area which has a lot 
of challenges, and we are pursuing peace with all our neighbors. We want 
a solution of all disputes, including the Kashmir dispute. We want to 
see a strong, stable Afghanistan. We are against proliferation of 
nuclear weapons by anybody, and we want to fight terrorism in all its 
forms and manifestations. There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist, 
and terrorism knows no borders. Our coalition with the United States in 
fighting terrorism is very important to all of the world and all of 
civil society.
    We are delighted we are here to share this time with you, and the 
people of Pakistan and the President and all of our Cabinet and various 
stakeholders in Pakistan are looking forward to your visit, because we 
think that this is an important visit for building relations further 
between our two countries and serving the cause of peace in the world.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir.

Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Pervez Musharraf of 
Pakistan.