[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 10 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Pages 348-351]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland 
and an Exchange With Reporters

March 10, 2008

    President Bush. It's been my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of 
our very close ally and strategic partner, Poland. We'll both have 
opening statements, and then we'll take two questions a side.
    I want to thank you for your candor, thank you for your friendship. 
The people of Poland stand as a great example of freedom and liberty. 
This is a nation with a proud history, a nation that has resisted 
tyranny and now lives as an example of a free society. And there are 
millions of Americans who are proud of their heritage, Mr. Prime 
Minister. They're proud to be called Polish Americans. And we welcome 
you.
    I want to thank you for your nation's contributions to the 
liberation of people in Iraq and Afghanistan. Your troops have performed 
brilliantly, and they'll be coming home based upon success. And I thank 
your Government and I thank the people of Poland for the sacrifices. I 
also thank you to help the young democracy in Afghanistan survive and 
thrive and flourish. And someday, Mr. Prime Minister, people are going 
to say, Afghanistan did exactly the same thing that happened in Poland: 
The people realized the blessings of liberty, and out of those blessings 
flowed peace.
    The Prime Minister and I had a long discussion about a lot of 
subjects. One in particular I want to talk about, and that is our mutual 
security. The United States recognizes the need for Polish--the forces 
to be modernized. It's important for our allies to--when they are 
worried about the modernization of their forces, that friends respond, 
and we're responding. The first part of a response, of course, is to 
take inventory of needs. And, Mr. Prime Minister, before my watch is 
over, we will have assessed those needs and come up with a modernization 
plan that's concrete and tangible.
    And along those lines, we talked about the need for mutual security 
and that the significant threats of the 21st century--or perhaps the 
most significant is a launch of a missile

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with dangerous materials in its warhead. Technologies are developing 
that will enable the free world to be able to defend itself from 
blackmail and/or strike from these such types of launches.
    And we're in discussions with Poland about how we can help the 
mutual security of the region. I've assured the Prime Minister that any 
decisions made will reflect the sovereignty of Poland. I've assured the 
Prime Minister that this system is not aimed at Russia. And I will 
continue to work with President Putin to give him those assurances as 
well. This system is designed for the threats of the 21st century.
    And so I want to thank you very much for your candor and your 
friendship. And we're glad you're here. Thank you, sir.
    Prime Minister Tusk. I want to thank very much you, Mr. President, 
for your hospitality and genuine warmth. It doesn't really happen often 
that people of such a high position are so open and so friendly as you.
    President Bush. Thank you.
    Prime Minister Tusk. From the very beginning, I was absolutely 
convinced that this meeting can bring us definitely closer to the work 
for good solutions.
    I am also very glad, Mr. President, that both during our meeting and 
also here, you appreciate very much the contribution we are making with 
our troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan. For us Poles, it is really a very 
big effort, and we really are happy that such an important ally 
appreciates it.
    What really is most important from this meeting, Mr. President, that 
in the spirit of those talks and also in the agreement which we have 
made during this conversation, we can draw the conclusion from that that 
the United States can count on Poland whenever it needs, and Poland can 
count on the United States whenever Poland is in need. And this is our 
belief, the embodiment of the idea of solidarity in the international 
dimension. And I want to thank you very much for this.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you.
    Prime Minister Tusk. And what is really important for both parties--
we came to a conclusion, both, during the talks--and also the 
cooperation which we would like to develop together--is that both the 
missile defense system and the modernization of the Polish forces, as 
well as the reinforcement of the global security system, which also 
influences the Polish security system, that all these issues come in one 
package, and that this is really something which gives us very much good 
hope for the future. This is a very important declaration for us, and 
once again, I want to thank you for that.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Feller [Ben Feller, Associated 
Press].
    Q. Mr. President----
    President Bush. Hold on for a second, please.
    Q. When----
    President Bush. Ben. Excuse me, please. Ben.

Vice President's Visit to the Middle East

    Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Secretary Rice was able to help get 
peace talks restarted in the Mideast during her trip. So what is it now 
that you want Vice President Cheney to get? What is your specific goal 
for him?
    President Bush. The Vice President will be on an extensive 
itinerary, as you know. His goal is to reassure people that the United 
States is committed to a vision of peace in the Middle East; that we 
expect relevant parties to obligate themselves--uphold their obligations 
on the roadmap; that we fully see the threats facing the Middle East--
one such threat is Iran--and that we will continue to bolster our 
security agreements and relationships with our friends and allies.
    The Vice President will be taking a very hopeful message to the 
Middle East, that progress in Iraq is necessary for peace in the Middle 
East. And so it's--I'm looking forward to his trip, and I'm really 
appreciative of the fact that he's going.
    Do you want to call on somebody from the Polish media?

Missile Defense System

    Q. Mr. President, is there any breakthrough as far as the missile 
defense system is concerned?
    President Bush. Well, I think there's a commitment to a system that 
respects Polish sovereignty, will--that will ensure that the people of 
Poland will not be subjected to any

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undue security risks, that the system is necessary to deal with the 
realities of the threats. Obviously, there's a lot of work to do because 
many times a strategy on paper is a little different from the details. 
And so our experts are working through the system to make sure that the 
people of Poland are comfortable with the idea. It's a--look, I mean--
you know, I--this is the kind of issue that all kinds of rumors and 
worries can grow out of. And we just want to assure people that it's 
necessary, and at the same time, there will be this modernization effort 
that takes place.
    Prime Minister Tusk. What is really very important is what we 
stressed in the conclusions of this meeting today, that we really want 
to stop the speculations on intentions expressed by the United States 
and expressed by Poland. Our joint intention is to cooperate in all 
aspects of global security, American security, and Polish security. And 
an element of this security is the missile defense system.
    What I would call a breakthrough is my conviction that both the 
President of the United States and the American party understand quite 
clearly our expectations. And if I may use this expression, I think that 
you have set the perspective of Poland on the principle of the 
cooperation here. And as you said, Mr. President, all the technicalities 
pertaining to the face of the negotiations and all those technical 
issues, they will be solved by experts.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Matt [Matt Spetalnick, Reuters].

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Yes, sir. Back on the Middle East, what do you think of Israel's 
plan to build 750 new homes in a settlement near Jerusalem? And what, if 
any, threat or complication do you see to your administration's peace 
efforts?
    President Bush. We expect both parties to--involved in the Middle 
Eastern peace process to adhere to their obligations in the roadmap. And 
those obligations are clear. And to this end, the Secretary of State is 
dispatching the general that we named to be the coordinator of roadmap 
activities to the Middle East--for him to conduct meetings with the 
relevant parties.
    The key question is whether or not a vision can prevail that will 
enable people who reject violence and extremists--enable them to see a 
better tomorrow. That's what we're working toward. And, you know, this 
is a part of the world where people have heard promises before, and 
they've been vague promises. Now they've got a President and an 
administration willing to work for two states, two democracies, side by 
side in peace.
    There are three major forces that are--we're now witnessing in the 
Middle East. Two of those forces adhere to peace: Israel and the forces 
of President Abbas. And then there's one force in the Middle East, and 
some suspect that they're funded from outside governments and outside 
movements, all aiming to destabilize democracy, all aiming to prevent 
the vision of--where people can live side by side in peace, all wanting 
to destroy Israel.
    And the fundamental question is, will there be enough will and 
determination to reject those forces of extremism and to stand up and 
support those who long for peace? And our mission is exactly along those 
lines. And I'm optimistic that we'll be able to achieve a vision that 
shows a way forward, and I'm optimistic leaders will step forward and do 
the hard things necessary so people don't have to live in deprivation 
and fear. And so that's our focus, and that's our mission.
    You want to----

[At this point, Prime Minister Tusk spoke in Polish, and no translation 
was provided.]

Visa Policy

    Q. Mr. President, it's getting to be embarrassing for Polish 
politicians to talk about visas in the Oval Office, but it's even more 
embarrassing for my countrymen to apply for visas.
    President Bush. Yes.
    Q. And it would be really ironic if Poland would become a third 
missile defense site, and Polish citizens would still have to apply for 
visas. So can we expect that before your watch is over something will 
change, and maybe we'll convince the lawmakers on Capitol Hill to do 
something about this?
    President Bush. Well, thank you very much. First of all, the Prime 
Minister, of

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course, brought up the issue. And he was very firm about the need for a 
friend to treat a friend as a friend when it comes to visas.
    Look, this is a tough issue. And we changed law. And now there are 
ways forward for the people applying for visas. A lot of it has to do 
with rejection rates. And as the Prime Minister noted, the rejection 
rates are changing quite dramatically. And so of course this will be 
taken into account.
    I fully understand the frustrations. And if I were living in Poland, 
I'd be--and wanted to come to America, I'd be frustrated too. And the 
truth of the matter is, we're going from one era to the next. We're 
going from a time when the--during the Soviet era, when there was a 
different motivation by the people. And we're adjusting. And I fully 
understand the pace of adjustment doesn't meet expectations inside 
Poland.
    And so I'm very sympathetic. But the law is changing. The paradigm 
is shifting. And I hope at some point in time, obviously, that the 
frustrations of our friends and allies are able to be eased with more 
moderate visa policy.
    Thank you, sir. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:13 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Vladimir Putin of 
Russia; Lt. Gen. William M. Fraser III, USAF, U.S. monitor of the 
Israeli-Palestinian roadmap peace plan; and President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu 
Mazen) of the Palestinian Authority. Prime Minister Tusk spoke in 
Polish, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter.