[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 40 (Monday, October 9, 2006)]
[Pages 1712-1713]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan 
of Turkey

October 2, 2006

    President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome back to Washington. We 
just had a extensive and important dialog about how Turkey and the 
United States can and must work together to achieve peace. We talked 
about our determined efforts to fight terror and extremism. We talked 
about our common efforts to bring stability to the Middle East. We had 
an important discussion about both Iraq and Iran. Our desire is for--to 
help people who care about a peaceful future to reject radicalism and 
extremism.
    I made it very clear to the Prime Minister, I think it's in the 
United States' interests that

[[Page 1713]]

Turkey join the European Union. And I congratulate the Prime Minister 
and his Government for the economic reforms that have enabled the 
Turkish economy to be strong, for the good of the Turkish people.
    And finally, we shared our deep desire to improve the lives of those 
who are suffering in Darfur. The Prime Minister shared with me a 
personal account of what he saw, the suffering he saw, the human--the 
pitiful human condition he personally saw in Darfur. He shared with me 
his Government's anxiousness to help the people there, and I assured him 
I shared the same concern. And it's important for the United Nations and 
the Government of Sudan to take forward steps to help the--end the 
suffering.
    I consider the Prime Minister a friend and a man of peace, and I 
welcome him.
    Prime Minister Erdogan. Thank you. Distinguished members of the 
press, it is a great honor and pleasure to be here upon the invitation 
of President Bush, an ally. The United States is a strategic partner, a 
very important strategic partner for Turkey and an ally for many years.
    In our meeting we had the opportunity to discuss many points, 
especially terrorism. And the joint steps that we have taken in order to 
pursue with determination our fight against terrorism continues to be 
very important in our relations. In fact, we do share the same opinion 
about forming a joint platform in order to combat terrorism on a global 
scale.
    We also had opportunity to discuss Lebanon as well as Israel and 
Palestine.
    It was important to hear the President say that their support for 
Turkey's membership to the European Union will continue. We have also 
had the opportunity to discuss Cyprus, and I have expressed our 
sensitivities with regard to the issues related to Cyprus. And we had an 
opportunity to extensively discuss what we can do in the Middle East--
what Turkey specifically can do in the Middle East.
    We have also discussed Turkey's progress and reforms with regards to 
the European Union--the Copenhagen political criteria as well as 
Maastricht criteria--and the recent work that is ongoing with the 
screening process at the EU for Turkey's accession.
    All in all, I think we had a very positive meeting, and I would like 
to thank the President for that.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir.

Note: The President spoke at 11:40 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. Prime Minister Erdogan spoke in Turkish, and his remarks were 
translated by an interpreter.