[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 23 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Pages 760-763]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Tony Blair of the 
United Kingdom and an Exchange With Reporters in Heiligendamm

June 7, 2007

    Prime Minister Blair. Well, obviously, this is a summit where we'll 
be discussing two crucial issues. One is the change in the climate and 
the actions that we need to take in order to address that. And I think 
this is a very substantial coming together around the need to make sure 
that we have a substantial reduction in emissions and find the right 
process and the right way that we can achieve that.
    And I think with the President's speech last week, this has moved 
the situation on a great deal. I think there is a real desire to come 
together. I think everyone wants to be part of a post-Kyoto deal. 
Everyone wants to try and make sure that that is a deal that's got to 
be--that includes all the major emitters. And everyone wants to make 
sure that that deal can then command broad agreement right across the 
international community and deliver what people want to see, both for 
reasons of the environment and for reasons of energy security.
    However, I think both myself and the President are very concerned, 
as well, to make sure that we do not simply focus on climate change. 
We've also got to focus on recommitting ourselves to the Gleneagles 
process on Africa, on making major steps forward there in relation to 
things like HIV/AIDS and education. In addition to that, of course, 
there's the situation in Darfur, where we both are anxious that there is 
strong action taken. And then we've also managed to have a word, too, 
about the world trade talks, which we want to see reach a successful 
conclusion.
    So, I mean, there's still obviously a lot of talking and discussing 
going on, and we're about to go in for the main session now. But I do 
feel, myself, that people are coming together, and I think that's 
important.

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    President Bush. Good start there.
    Prime Minister Blair. Thank you.
    President Bush. You know, we had a press conference in the Rose 
Garden where, you know, it was the last time on U.S. soil I'll be 
standing next to the Prime Minister talking about what we believe and 
how our efforts are going to lead to peace and to a better world for a 
lot of people. This is the last meeting I will have had with him as 
Prime Minister. It's a nostalgic moment for me. I'm sorry it's come to 
be, but that's what happens in life. We'll move on.
    Tony said we talked about global climate change. I told him in 
Washington, and I recommitted myself today, that the United States will 
be actively involved, if not taking the lead, in a post-Kyoto framework, 
post-Kyoto agreement. I view our role as a bridge between people in 
Europe and others and India and China. And if you want them at the 
table, it's important to give them an opportunity to set an 
international goal. And that's why I laid out the initiative I laid out. 
And I told Tony that we're deadly earnest in getting something done; 
this is serious business. And the fundamental question is, how best to 
send proper signals to create the technologies necessary to deal with 
this issue?
    And as we discuss global climate change, it's really important we 
don't forget those who are dying. And I appreciate this man's commitment 
to global AIDS--fighting global AIDS. We do that ourselves--laid out a 
$30 billion initiative. I'm very proud of the United States citizens for 
supporting such an initiative. Over the past 3 years, antiretroviral 
drugs has been extended from--to over a million people, up from 50,000. 
So it's important to debate the environment and discuss it. It's also 
important for those of us who have got the wealth to put it to use to 
save lives. The malaria initiative we talked about is a really important 
initiative, and I hope that countries here at the G-8 join Great Britain 
and the United States in saving lives that can be saved in a pretty easy 
way. It just takes will, focus, and effort.
    We did discuss Darfur. I'm frustrated, but the international 
organizations can't move quickly enough. I don't know how long it's 
going to take for people to hear the call to save lives. I will be 
stressing, along with Tony, the need for nations to take action. If the 
U.N. won't act, we need to take action ourselves, and I laid out a 
series of sanctions that I think, hopefully, will affect Bashir's 
behavior. But enough is enough in Darfur.
    We talked about Doha. We're committed to doing a deal in Doha. If 
you're interested in alleviating poverty around the world, then they 
ought to be joining and making the necessary concessions to have a 
global trading system that helps affect the poor.
    So I've come with a broad agenda and a serious agenda, and so has 
the Prime Minister. And it's been a good, meaningful discussion, as 
usual. We'll answer one question apiece, then we've got to go get our 
picture taken.

United Kingdom-Saudi Arabia Relations/International Cooperation on the 
Environment

    Q. Mr. President, you've said it's important to set an international 
goal. How long does the world have to wait for America to set a goal 
that others can measure of how much you're cutting greenhouse gasses by?
    And Prime Minister, if I could ask you about another matter. Were 
you aware that your Government was approving payments to a friend of 
President Bush's as part of British Aerospace's kickback system, and is 
that why you suspended a fraud inquiry?
    President Bush. Glad you're answering that question--[laughter]--a 
friend of mine. [Laughter]
    Prime Minister Blair. On the point you asked me--let me make one 
thing very clear: I'm not going to comment on the individual 
allegations. And a lot of this, of course, relates to things that go 
back to the 1980s.
    But let me just make one thing very, very clear to you: This 
investigation, if it had gone ahead, would have involved the most 
serious allegations and investigations being made of the Saudi royal 
family. And my job is to give advice as to whether that is a sensible 
thing, in circumstances where I don't believe the investigation--
[inaudible]--would have led anywhere, except to the complete wreckage of 
a vital strategic relationship for our country in terms of fighting 
terrorism, in terms of the Middle East, in terms of British interests

[[Page 762]]

there. Quite apart from the fact that we would have lost thousands--
thousands--of British jobs.
    So I totally understand why you guys have got to do your job, but 
I've got to do mine. And mine is sometimes taking these decisions about 
what I believe to be in the strategic interests of our country and 
holding to it. And that's what I've done.
    President Bush. Greenhouse gases declined last year in the United 
States, in spite of the fact that our economy grew. Not many countries 
can make that claim. In other words, we're taking steps necessary to be 
good stewards of the environment, at the same time, advance 
technologies. Our record is a strong record. We've spent billions of 
dollars on technologies necessary to make us less dependent on foreign 
sources of oil and, at the same time, good stewards of the environment.
    Secondly, as I proposed, that by the end of 2008, the world's 
emitters of greenhouse gases should come together and set an 
international goal. Nothing is going to happen in terms of substantial 
reductions unless China and India are participating. And so it is our 
role to serve as a bridge between people who have got one point of view 
about how to solve greenhouse gases and about how to get the developing 
nations such as China and India to the table.
    In the meantime, we'll move forward with a very aggressive agenda. I 
don't know if you followed my speeches in the United States, but I said, 
we'll reduce gasoline usage by 20 percent over the next 10 years. And 
the way you do that is through technologies and ethanols and battery 
technologies, and I'm convinced we'll meet that goal. And in so doing, 
we'll be, yet again, a world leader when it comes to new technologies.
    Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Associated Press].

Missile Defense System/Russia-U.S. Relations

    Q. Thanks. Last night, the Russians said again--Putin's spokesman 
said again that everything they've heard from you and from your staff 
about missile defense has left them unconvinced. Is there--what can you 
say to President Putin today that's maybe different or more specific 
than what we've heard so far that might change his mind?
    President Bush. Well, I mean, the--I'm looking forward to my meeting 
with Vladimir Putin. A missile defense system cannot stop multiple 
launch regimes. In other words, the facts are, is that--the fact is 
this: that you can't stop two, three, four, five missiles. And 
therefore, I will explain to him once again that a missile defense 
system is aimed at a rogue regime that may try to hold Russia and/or 
Europe and the United States hostage. I think the best thing for me to 
do is just talk about the facts.
    Secondly, it is important for Russia and Russians to understand that 
I believe the cold war ended, that Russia is not an enemy of the United 
States, that there's a lot of areas where we can work together--for 
example, in Iran or areas of proliferation. There's a lot of 
constructive work we can do.
    And so I'm looking forward to my dialog with Vladimir Putin this 
afternoon. It's hopefully an attempt to find other areas where we can 
work together and make sure our rhetoric doesn't cause concern in our 
respective countries and here in Europe. He can be--he doesn't have to 
be viewed as an enemy, see. And the missile defense system should say, 
we can work together. I actually think that Russia ought to participate 
with us. If it's aimed at dealing with a rogue regime, then it makes 
sense for Russia to say, ``Let's join; let's share technologies.''
    And so I will reiterate the proposal we made, and that's, send your 
generals to the United States, send your scientists to the United 
States, and we'll share our vision. And hopefully that will help. 
Hopefully the visit this afternoon will make it clear that we have no 
animosity, we bear no ill will. We're simply trying to deal with the 
true threats of the 21st century. And I repeat, Russia is not a threat. 
They're not a military threat. They're not something that we ought to be 
hyperventilating about. What we ought to be doing is figuring out ways 
to work together.
    Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 
9:26 a.m. at the Kempinski Grand Hotel Heiligendamm. In his remarks, he 
referred to President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of Sudan; and 
President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

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A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.