[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 22 (Monday, June 5, 2006)]
[Pages 1046-1047]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Receiving Diplomatic Credentials From Ambassador Samir Shakir 
al-Sumaydi of Iraq

May 30, 2006

    President Bush. It is my honor and pleasure to welcome the papers 
from Iraq's Ambassador to the United States. Mr. Ambassador, 
congratulations.
    Ambassador al-Sumaydi. Thank you, Mr. President.
    President Bush. You're now officially the Ambassador. I look forward 
to working with you, Mr. Ambassador, and the new Government, to help 
Iraq become a country that can govern itself and sustain itself and 
defend itself. I'm confident in the future of liberty in Iraq because I 
believe the people of Iraq want to live in a free society. And although 
there's been some very difficult times for the Iraqi people, I am 
impressed by the courage

[[Page 1047]]

of the leadership, impressed by the determination of the people, and 
want to assure you, sir, that the United States stands ready to help the 
Iraqi democracy succeed.
    So welcome here to the Oval Office. Thank you for coming.
    Ambassador al-Sumaydi. Thank you, Mr. President. I am honored and 
privileged to serve as the Ambassador of free Iraq, after 16 years of 
isolation, to represent my country to this great country, to have a 
voice for the new elected Iraqi Government, and communicate directly 
with this administration and with the people of the United States, to 
express our ambitions and desire to live in peace and remove the scourge 
of terrorism from our land and help others remove it from theirs.
    The President said a couple of days ago in his radio address that 
the terrorists can kill innocent people, but they cannot stop the march 
of freedom. I echo these words and say that the terrorists can target 
the innocent and the weak and the vulnerable, but they will never stop 
us establishing a democratic and free country.
    I'm proud to represent this country to you, Mr. President.
    President Bush. Thank you, Ambassador. Very well done. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.