[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 11 (Monday, March 24, 2008)]
[Pages 403-404]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With President Mikheil Saakashvili of 
Georgia

March 19, 2008

    President Bush. Mr. President, welcome back to Washington. I was 
just reminiscing with the President about my trip to Georgia, about the 
unbelievably good food, and about the dancing. He was wondering whether 
I'd come back and start my dancing career there, and I told him I'd 
probably better quit while I'm ahead.
    We had a good discussion. I admire the President. I admire what 
Georgia has gone through and what Georgia is doing. We had an 
interesting talk about a couple of subjects, one of which is the 
economic opportunities in Georgia. This is a country which has adopted a 
very simplified tax code. It's easy for people to understand. I told the 
American people I tried to simplify our Tax Code. It's difficult to do. 
I congratulate you on simplifying yours, and I congratulate you about 
your rates of growth.
    We talked about Georgia's contribution to democracy movements, not 
only her own but to democracy and freedom movements in places like Iraq. 
The citizens of Georgia must know that the troops that have been 
provided there are brave, courageous professionals and have made a 
significant difference. And we want to thank you for that, Mr. 
President.
    We talked about the need for there to be peaceful resolutions of 
conflicts while recognizing the territorial integrity and sovereign 
borders of Georgia.
    And finally, we, of course, talked about NATO. The Bucharest summit 
is coming up. Georgia's aspirations will be decided at the Bucharest 
summit. MAP application, of course, as the President full well knows, is 
not membership. MAP is a process that will enable NATO members to be 
comfortable with a country eventually joining. I believe that NATO 
benefits with a Georgia membership. I believe Georgia benefits from 
being a part of NATO. And I told the President it's a message I'll be 
taking to Bucharest soon.
    And so, Mr. President, thanks for coming. I'm pleased you're here. 
I'm glad you brought your wife. Turns out, our wives are out having 
lunch together on the town here in DC. And I just told Laura to keep the 
tab down. [Laughter] I'm working on Government pay these days. But thank 
you for coming.
    President Saakashvili. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I mean, 
I'm incredibly thrilled to be back in the Oval Office. And, you know, 
we've been essential part of your freedom agenda. I was not President 
when I heard your speech in Warsaw, when you spoke about freedom between 
Baltics and Black Sea. And that was extremely visionary speech because 
you spoke about the Black Sea at the moment when nobody wanted to look 
in our direction. And I think we are--what we are up to now is to 
implement this freedom agenda to the end, for the sake of our people, 
for the sake of our values, for the sake of what the United States means 
for all of us, because the U.S. is exporting idealism to the rest of the 
world.
    And we believe that, you know, we have very, very strong 
partnerships. We have a very, very strong partnership in democracy 
building. We have a very strong partnership in our military cooperation, 
because I'm very proud the Georgian troops in Iraq are not just 
controlling and are present there protecting people but are having 
success in doing so. And certainly this is something that we will state 
over generations.
    I have to thank you, Mr. President, for your unwavering support for 
our freedom, for our democracy, for our territorial sovereignty, and for 
protecting Georgia's borders and for Georgia's NATO aspirations. I think 
this is a very unequivocal support we are getting from you.
    And, you know, this is the last year of your administration, but I 
can tell you, what you've done for--not only for my country but what 
you've done for all over the region will be remembered greatly and will 
be remembered as absolutely revolutionary change of way of thinking, of 
environment, of giving chances to the people who never thought about 
having those opportunities and chances before. That's what America is 
all about. That's what Bush freedom agenda is all about. And we are very 
proud to be part of that agenda, Mr. President.

[[Page 404]]

    You should know that this will stay as a photographic memory in our 
people's mind, and we will always remember it. We'll never--and we are 
very grateful, of course. You will dance Georgian dance much better than 
I do. [Laughter] You are invited back, to come. You've shown 
considerable talent. [Laughter] I know you're not Georgian; you're a 
Texan. But we are pretty close. [Laughter] But deep in your mind, you 
should have something Georgian. [Laughter]
    President Bush. That's right. [Laughter]
    President Saakashvili. That's for sure. And, I mean, we certainly--
and if you don't want to dance with us, then you can come and bike with 
us or do anything. But you're always welcome back as somebody who really 
put Georgia firmly on the world's freedom map--and not only Georgia but 
many of the countries in the region--and gave us a chance. I think we 
will continue this cooperation.
    I thank you for your support today. We've heard today everything we 
wanted to hear from the leader of the free world, and I think that's 
going to give a new opportunities opening to my people. I'm bringing 
back hope and inspiration.
    President Bush. Thank you, buddy.
    President Saakashvili. Thanks.
    President Bush. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:58 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Sandra E. Roelofs, wife of 
President Saakashvili.