    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 6 (Monday, February 18, 2008)]
    [Pages 181-182]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following a Discussion With President Amadou Toumani Toure of
    Mali

    February 12, 2008

        President Bush. It's been a honor and a pleasure to welcome the
    President of Mali here to the Oval Office.
        We discussed a variety of issues. I was touched by the President's
    concern about the life of the average citizen in Mali. We are partners
    with the President and the people of Mali through the Millennium
    Challenge Account. And one reason we worked with the Government is
    because they've agreed to fight corruption and support the education and
    health of its citizens. This is a country that's committed to the rights
    of its people, and we're proud to be standing side by side with you.
        Two issues that are very important to this administration, Mr.
    President, were the issues that my wife, Laura, discussed when she came
    to your country. One is literacy, and two is the eradication of malaria.
    And I assured the President that our commitment remains strong to both
    important issues. And I thank him very much for his hard work in helping
    his citizens deal with HIV/AIDS.
        And finally, the President and I spent a fair amount of time talking
    about the dangers of radicals and extremists associated with groups like
    Al Qaida. And we talked about the need for close cooperation to protect
    the innocent people from those who murder the innocent in order to
    achieve their dark political vision.
        So it's been my honor to welcome a good man here to the Oval Office.
        President Toure. Yes. First of all, I would like to convey to the
    President of the United

    [[Page 182]]

    States the sympathies and solidarity of the people of Mali because of
    the destruction----
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Toure. ----brought by the tornadoes in some of the
    Southern States of the United States.
        And then I told Mr. President that we were sensitive and impressed
    by the impression that we had from the visit of Mrs. Laura Bush to Mali
    some time ago. Also, thank the President for the friendship between the
    people of the United States and the people of Mali and the cooperation
    between Mali and the United States that we do entertain on both sides
    since the independence of Mali in 1960.
        But I could also come to the United States just to tell Mr.
    President, thank you, because the President had some initiatives not
    only for Mali but also for Africa, which we believe are historical
    initiatives, and which we do have the Millennium Challenge Corporation,
    the greater participation against the fight against AIDS through the
    Global Fund, the initiative of the eradication of malaria, and not to
    forget the Presidential initiative on literacy in Africa, which is very
    important in our view, because when you want to develop, you need to
    also improve basic education.
        President Bush. That's right.
        President Toure. So I emphasized to the President that--and I
    reaffirm--that Mali signed and Mali averred to all different initiatives
    on the fight against terrorism. So it is humanly inadmissable,
    unacceptable to see or to assist or to be indifferent to the suggestion
    that we are seeing to some practices which really do not deserve to
    exist.
        So we had a fruitful exchange of views on our cooperation. So I said
    to Mr. President that I would like to thank him and also to convey all
    the gratitude of the people of Mali, but I emphasized also the fact that
    may God save Mali and the United States. President, thank you very much.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:33 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Toure spoke in French, and his remarks were translated
    by an interpreter.