[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 9 (Monday, March 6, 2006)]
[Pages 380-381]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Luncheon Hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India 
in New Delhi

March 2, 2006

    Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Kaur, thank you for your hospitality. 
Mr. Prime Minister, I'm sorry you brought up the Taj Mahal. I've been 
hearing about it from Laura ever since I told her that we weren't going. 
But we pledged if you invite us back to come back, we'd love to see the 
magnificent part of your country that we will be unable to see this 
trip.
    This is an historic trip. It's a chance to continue to build on the 
progress we made in Washington, DC, progress being a relationship that 
is--that lasts beyond our time in office. It's a relationship that is 
based upon our common values, that every person matters, every person 
belongs, and everybody should be able to worship as freely as they want 
to, the common values of recognizing the right to people to express 
themselves in a peaceful way.
    Our relationship is one that's important for peace and prosperity in 
this world. It's important that we continue to work together to battle 
the terrorists, to give them no quarter, and to never yield. Terrorism 
has no place in democracy and terrorism must be defeated for our 
children and grandchildren to be able to live in a peaceful world.
    Our relationship is one based upon our belief that free and fair 
trade is in the interests of our people; that when trade moves freely 
and fairly, that people in our respective countries will be able to find 
good work and good jobs and improve their standard of living. I believe 
India has got a really important role to play in showing parts of the 
world what is possible when it comes to having people live side by side 
in peace. India is such a wonderful example of pluralism, of religious 
freedom, of human rights. This relationship of ours is a vital 
relationship; it's a strategic partnership.
    And so Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for our dialogs and 
our work together. Thank you for your hospitality. I want to thank the 
leaders who are here with us today for taking time out of your busy 
schedules to welcome Laura and me and our delegation.
    And so I, too, would like to propose a toast, a toast to the Prime 
Minister, his wife, and to the people of India.

Note: The President spoke at 1:39 p.m. in the Taj Palace. In his 
remarks, he referred to Kaur Gursharan, wife of Prime Minister Singh. 
The

[[Page 381]]

transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included 
the remarks of Prime Minister Singh. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of these remarks.