[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 16 (Monday, April 28, 2008)]
[Pages 592-593]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Discussion With President Mahmoud Abbas of the 
Palestinian Authority

April 24, 2008

    President Bush. Thanks for coming, Mr. President. I appreciate your 
chance to talk about peace. I assured the President that a Palestinian 
state's a high priority for me and my administration--a viable state, a 
state that

[[Page 593]]

doesn't look like Swiss cheese, a state that provides hope. It's in--I 
believe it's in Israel's interest and the Palestinian people's interest 
to have leaders willing to work toward the achievement of that state.
    People that can deliver that state, that vision, to the Palestinian 
people were sitting right here in the Oval Office, led by the President. 
The President is a man of peace. He's a man of vision. He rejects the 
idea of using violence to achieve objectives, which distinguishes him 
from other people in the region. I'm confident we can achieve the 
definition of a state. I'm also confident it's going to require hard 
work.
    To that end, I'm going back to the Middle East. I'm looking forward 
to meeting you, sir. And thank you for making time. I consider you a 
friend. I also consider you a courageous person. And I'm also will 
consider--believe strongly that when history looks back at this moment 
and a state is defined, that the Palestinian people will thank you for 
your leadership.
    There are a lot of issues we discussed, issues of importance: the 
security of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people, the economic 
advancement of the Palestinian people. The thing that I'm focused on, 
and you are: how to define a state that is acceptable to both sides. I'm 
confident it can get done. I want to thank you for coming. I appreciate 
your time.
    President Abbas. Thank you. Mr. President, thank you very much for 
receiving us here at the White House these days. And I also would like 
to thank you very much for the initiative that was launched during the 
Annapolis conference.
    We believe that you actually are truly seeking a true, genuine, and 
lasting peace in the Middle East. And I am certain that you would like 
to see an agreement and settlement before the end of your term. And at 
the same time, we are doing everything we can in order to seriously 
negotiate and reach a peace that will be satisfactory to both the 
Palestinian side and the Israeli side, a peace that would be promoted 
around the world.
    There are many parties also that are working very hard to support 
our efforts and to help us reach that peace. When I talk about your 
initiative, Mr. President, I also have to praise the Arab peace 
initiative--initiative that simply states that peace will be achieved 
after the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab and Palestinian 
Territories. As a result of that, I believe strongly that more than 57 
Arab and Islamic countries will normalize their relations with Israel.
    I believe very strongly that time is of the essence. We are working 
very hard and hope not to waste any time and continue these efforts to 
achieve peace.
    Mr. President, your efforts, the efforts of your administration, the 
various visits--your previous one and your upcoming visit to Sharm el-
Sheikh and to the region, all of this is a strong indication that you 
are very keen to continue to work very hard and to achieve your vision.
    I cannot say that the road to peace is paved with flowers. It is 
paved with obstacles. But together we will work very hard in order to 
eliminate those obstacles and achieve peace.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you all. Shokran gazillan.

Note: The President spoke at 1:51 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. President Abbas spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were translated 
by an interpreter.