[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 20 (Monday, May 26, 2008)]
[Pages 716-717]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan 
and an Exchange With Reporters in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

May 17, 2008

    President Bush. Mr. President, good to see you. Thanks. President 
Karzai and I have had a lot of meetings together, and this was a very 
upbeat meeting. And I want to thank you for coming. I appreciate your 
courage. Appreciate you taking on a very tough assignment, which is 
helping your young democracy survive amidst the threats from the 
radicals and extremists.
    I really appreciate the briefing you gave me on how you're going to 
approach the Paris donor's meeting. This is a great opportunity for the 
world to help Afghanistan grow and prosper. His strategy is a smart 
strategy. And part of his strategy is to--is for the world to help 
Afghanistan's agricultural community grow and prosper, so that they can 
not only become self-sufficient in food but become net exporters of 
crops that people need in order to be able to eat and survive.
    And so I thought it was a smart approach. I hope the world rallies 
to your behalf. We'll certainly help. I appreciate you being here.
    President Karzai. Thank you very much.
    President Bush. Yes, sir.
    President Karzai. Thank you very much. Well, Mr. President, thank 
you very much for this very good meeting once again. We have always had 
very good meetings with you in the past. This one was one more of such 
meetings. And thank you very much once again, Mr. President, for the 
help that you have given us in the past 6 years--6\1/2\ years in 
Afghanistan.
    I told you about a story earlier, that we, for the first time after 
30 years, were able to give diplomas to the graduates of Afghanistan's 
universities, the medical colleges, economics, law, and all that. That 
would have not been possible without your help and the help of the rest 
of the world.
    And thank you very much for the support on Paris. We'll be going to 
Paris to ask for more help for Afghanistan's agriculture, so that 
Afghanistan can become self-sufficient in agriculture and also be an 
exporter to the rest of the world. And we'll be asking for help on 
energy resources in Afghanistan and the--better irrigation and hydro 
projects.
    Afghanistan once again thanks the people of the United States. Mr. 
President, thank you very much, and please convey that gratitude to the 
American people. And please do visit us very, very soon. The Afghan 
people want to be there to greet you and to express the gratitude for 
your leadership and help.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you. I'll take two questions. 
Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Mr. President, Egypt's state-owned media says that you have 
tilted too far toward Israel. One of them, the newspaper, says that you 
aim to do nothing but appeasing Israel. Did you encounter that attitude 
today, and what do you say to this?
    President Bush. Actually, in my meeting with the President of Egypt, 
he wanted to make sure that my approach toward the Middle Eastern peace 
is firm, and that we work hard to get the Palestinian state defined. And 
in my speech tomorrow, I'll make it clear that

[[Page 717]]

I believe we can get a state defined by the end of my Presidency, and 
we'll work hard to achieve that objective. I had conversations with 
Prime Minister Olmert and others in his Government to that effect. I 
will have conversations with President Abbas and people in his 
Government tonight.
    Every one of these meetings helps advance the process. Every one of 
these meetings helps us inch toward the goal of getting a state defined 
with borders and the refugee issue as well as security concerns defined 
by the end of my Presidency. And I believe we can do that, and I know 
it's going to be important for the peace in the Middle East.
    John [John McKinnon, Wall Street Journal], yes.

Saudi Arabia/Oil Production

    Q. Mr. President, can you talk a little bit more about your meetings 
with officials in Saudi Arabia? And are you satisfied with the response 
that they gave you on oil?
    President Bush. Look, my--with--His Majesty is--he kindly called in 
the Energy Minister, who, I think, was in Korea. And the man flew back 
to talk with us. I said very plainly, I said, you've got to be concerned 
about the effects of high oil prices on some of the biggest customers in 
the world. And not only that, of course, high energy prices is going to 
cause countries like mine to accelerate our move toward alternative 
energy.
    And as the Minister said yesterday, that Saudi Arabia, this year, 
has increased the number of barrels of oil per day by 300,000 a day, and 
they're increasing refining capacity, which is not enough. It's 
something, but it doesn't solve our problem. Our problem in America gets 
solved when we aggressively go for domestic exploration. Our problem in 
America gets solved if we expand our refining capacity, promote nuclear 
energy, and continue our strategy for the advancement of alternative 
energies as well as conservation.
    And one of the interesting things about American politics these days 
is, those who are screaming the loudest for increased production from 
Saudi Arabia are the very same people who are fighting the fiercest 
against domestic exploration, against the development of nuclear power, 
and against expanding refining capacity. And so I was pleased that they 
had increased production by 300,000. But I'm also realistic to say to 
the American people, we've got to do more at home, and we need a 
Congress who will be responsive to those requests.
    Thank you all very much for your interest.

Note: The President spoke at 3:14 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Sharm El 
Sheikh. In his remarks, he referred to President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak 
of Egypt; Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel; President Mahmoud Abbas 
(Abu Mazen) of the Palestinian Authority; and King Abdallah bin Abd al-
Aziz Al Saud and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ibrahim 
al-Naimi of Saudi Arabia.