[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 36 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Pages 1193-1194]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With President Jalal Talabani of Iraq

September 10, 2008

    President Bush. Mr. President, welcome. First of all, I am so 
pleased to see that you're looking good. The President's health is 
strong, and that's going to be very important for the people of Iraq. 
After all, there's been no stronger defender of a free Iraq than 
President Talabani. I've known him for a long time. He cares deeply 
about the Iraqi people, and he has been a strong defender of human 
liberty.
    Mr. President, thanks for the good conversation we had about the 
election laws, about the need to get a strategic framework agreement 
signed. And thank you very much for bringing me up to date on your 
perspective about life inside of Iraq. It's--things have changed a lot 
since we've known each other.
    President Talabani. Of course.
    President Bush. And attitudes are completely different now that 
people realize the security situation has changed and mothers can raise 
their children in a more normal life. It's still difficult, but there's 
no doubt that the surge has been effective, which has enabled us to take 
out troops. Iraqis want there to be fewer U.S. troops, the United States 
wants there to be fewer U.S. troops, but both of us want to realize that 
vision based upon success.
    And so, Mr. President, welcome back. I'm glad you're feeling good. 
And thank you for the visit.
    President Talabani. Well, Mr. President, thank you very much for 
giving me the honor of meeting you again. I think it's clear that we are 
in Iraq looking to you as a hero of liberation of Iraq from worst kind 
of dictatorship. And now we are working with your--with you, Mr. 
President, for finalizing the strategic framework of--agreement between 
United States and Iraq.
    And also, we are always getting benefit from your views about how to 
secure Iraq. I think you know very well that we--you and we in Iraq 
achieved very good successes on terrorism. Now I can say all parts of 
Iraq liberated from terrorist control and activities. It's true that 
some groups remind--remain, hiding themselves from here or there, but 
there's no place, no inch of Iraqi land under the control of terrorist 
activities. There are some terrorist--still groups working, hiding 
themself. And thanks to you and sacrifice of your brave army and to 
Iraqi people, now we can live in peace and security.
    And Iraq Government started to spend the money which we have for 
serving the Iraqi people and rebuilding the country, reconstructing the 
country. Not only we liberated our country from terrorist activities but 
also from militias, outlawed militias who are also making troubles and 
danger for Iraqi people.
    And as you have heard, the Basra city, Sadr City, Shulla, Ninawa, 
Baqubah--all these cities are now liberated. So we are thankful to you 
and to your people, your army. We hope that the agreement about this 
strategy situation will be signed soon.
    And as usual, we are working in--our Parliament is working now for 
finalizing the draft of a new law for election of Provinces. And I hope 
that--as I heard the news yesterday--I hope that today it will be 
finalized, because the groups--head of groups of Parliament are now 
gathering in Parliament to reach--to finalize it.
    In our country, we are now busy to reconstruct our country and to 
rebuild our country. And I am glad to tell you, Mr. President, that our 
relation with our neighbors is improved very well--with Turkey, with 
Syria, with Iran, with the Arab countries. The relation is normal now, 
and we have no problem with any of these countries. In contrary, many, 
many new ambassadors are coming----
    President Bush. That's right.
    President Talabani. ----to our country from Arab countries. And 
our--the visit of Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr. Tayyip Recep Erdogan, 
and of the--His Majesty the King of Jordan to Baghdad was very 
successful and was encouraging Iraqi people to understand that they have 
friends outside Iraq.

[[Page 1194]]

    So I hope that friendship and relation between your great people and 
the Iraqi people will continue and will be strengthened. And we will 
never forget what you have done for our people.
    President Bush. Thank you, President. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 3:53 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. President Talabani referred to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip 
Erdogan of Turkey; and King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Office of the 
Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these 
remarks.