[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 43 (Monday, October 29, 2007)]
[Pages 1393-1394]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in a Meeting With President Nambaryn Enkhbayar of Mongolia

October 22, 2007

    President Bush. Mr. President, thank you very much. Welcome. Thank 
you.
    Mr. President, thank you very much for joining us. Today we're going 
to sign an important agreement between the United States and our friend 
Mongolia. Before we sign the agreement, which is to codify a Millennium 
Challenge compact, I do want to say a couple of things.
    First, Laura and I loved our trip to your country. It was most 
interesting. I still vividly remember the fierce-looking warrior on 
horseback. And I was reminded of how thankful I am I've never met him on 
a battlefield. [Laughter] I remember the skill of the horsemen. I 
remember the warm hospitality. I remember the yak's milk. [Laughter] And 
I remember your gracious and kind words there. And I want to thank you 
again, sir, and the people of your wonderful country for such warm 
hospitality for Laura and me.
    I also want to thank you very much for your strong support in the 
war against radicals and extremists. After our Nation was attacked on 
September the 11th by coldblooded murderers, you and your country stood 
in solidarity with the American people. And since then you have been a 
stalwart in helping defeat extremists by helping young democracies 
survive and thrive. And I want to thank you and the Mongolian people for 
supporting the young democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's been hard 
work, but we're making progress. And I know it's been hard for some in 
your society to see the benefits of free societies emerging, but I 
appreciate your vision, and I want to thank your troops. The Mongolian 
troops are well-trained, well-disciplined, and are a great credit to 
your country.
    The Millennium Challenge Account is an important part of our foreign 
policy. It's an opportunity for the United States and our taxpayers to 
help countries that fight corruption, that support market-based 
economies, and that invest in the health and education of their people.
    The Millennium Challenge compact encourages countries to make a firm 
commitment to basic principles, principles that mean the government will 
listen to their people and respond to the needs of the people. And 
today, Mr. President, we honor the success of your country and the 
commitment of your Government to basic principles. That's what we're 
doing. We hope that the $285 million will help you modernize your 
railroad and infrastructures, all aiming to make sure that the market 
economy you put in place inures to the benefit of your people.
    Congress must understand how important this program is for U.S. 
foreign policy. The Millennium Challenge Account has been effective. 
It's been effective across the world. It will be effective in Mongolia. 
And when the United States Congress considers full funding for the 
Millennium Challenge Account, they must think about countries such as 
Mongolia and the long-term benefits that this program will mean for a 
solid friend.
    And so, Mr. President, I welcome you to the mike. I want to thank 
you for coming, and then I look forward to signing the document.
    President Enkhbayar. Mr. President, it's indeed a great pleasure to 
be here in Washington, DC, today, attending the ceremony which lays down 
the beginning of a new and important partnership between Mongolia and 
the United States. I am proud that our joint efforts, which started with 
the qualification of Mongolia in May 2004 into the list of the countries 
eligibly for the Millennium Challenge Account have brought us to this 
very important stage.

[[Page 1394]]

    On behalf of the entire nation, its Government, and the people of 
Mongolia, I wish to extend our sincere gratitude to President Bush for 
his initiative, to the Government, and the people of the United States 
for their confidence and support rendered to Mongolia. Thank you.
    President Bush. Thanks very much.
    President Enkhbayar. The idea of rewarding the successful 
democracies through supporting their goals inspired the Mongolians from 
the beginning of this initiative. We welcome the concept for--we sense 
that the initiative will eventually contribute to the betterment of the 
life of ordinary people. Mongolia also appreciates and upholds the 
principle of aid with accountability and ownership advocated by the 
Government of the United States. Indeed, the whole process through we 
have arrived at the signing of this compact today is a testimony to our 
shared commitment to ensuring the--[inaudible]--good governance and 
accountability to our citizens.
    We have to always remember--and I know that those are the people who 
elect us and sometimes criticize us and say whatever they think about 
us.
    President Bush. So it happens there as well? [Laughter]
    President Enkhbayar. As a partner country of the MCC program, 
Mongolia has been truly in the driver's seat at every stage of 
identifying its own development priorities and investment needs and 
policy directions. This new approach of cooperation is the key to 
ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of the program. The compact 
prepared through the broad consultative approach in Mongolia will 
support our efforts to broaden and deepen the country's economic 
development, focusing on four key areas.
    These areas are in the line with Mongolia's national development 
strategy, the draft of which was submitted to the Parliament for the 
consultation and approval. The strategy sets out the vision of a 
democratic society centered on developing a healthy and educated citizen 
and a prosperous private-sector-led economy, a society of true 
partnership and Mongol stakeholders, including the civil society.
    I am confident that the compact program will have a truly 
transformational impact on Mongolia's poverty reduction efforts through 
investment in our human capital, rehabilitation of vital transportation 
infrastructure, and strengthening the institutional capacity of the 
public service agencies.
    It should be noted that the compact is about opportunity and excess. 
We want our people to seize this opportunity to improve their livelihood 
with training and employment, to participate and benefit from the 
country's economic growth, to have access to high-quality service and 
education.
    ``Hand-in-hand action has to have the trophy,'' says a Mongolian 
proverb. I'm certain that this compact will inspire long-lasting, 
fruitful, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the United States 
of America and Mongolia. Now we will embark upon the task of 
successfully transforming our people's ideas and expectations into 
reality. Your support has been indispensable in reaching this point, and 
we trust in your continued partnership in the future.
    Mr. President, friends, and colleagues, thank you again for this 
memorable occasion. And I would like to again invite President Bush to 
visit Mongolia after he goes to Beijing Olympics. President Bush knows 
that it's not very far away from Beijing.
    President Bush. That's right. [Laughter]
    President Enkhbayar. And I hope that he will again enjoy the 
hospitality of the Mongolian people.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir.

Note: The President spoke at 11:53 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House.