[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 50 (Monday, December 22, 2008)]
[Pages 1571-1572]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Mahmoud Abbas of the 
Palestinian Authority

December 19, 2008

    President Bush. I'm thinking about the first time I met you--I think 
it was in Jordan--and I can't help but reflect on how far the process 
has come to bring peace to the Holy Land.
    You have done a lot of important and hard work in helping the region 
understand the importance of two states living side by side in peace. No 
question, this is a hard challenge, but nevertheless, people must 
recognize that we have made a good deal of progress. And a lot of it has 
to do with your leadership, and I thank you.
    I was pleased to note that the U.N. Security Council passed a 
resolution which confirms that bilateral negotiation--the bilateral 
negotiation process is irreversible, is--and it's a path to a 
Palestinian state and a path to peace in the Middle East.
    And I've been looking forward to this visit. I'm looking forward to 
getting a briefing on not only the negotiations, the discussions you've 
had with Israel, but also the fine progress that's being made on the 
West Bank, which is a credit to your leadership and the leadership of 
the Prime Minister.
    So welcome, sir, and thank you for coming.
    President Abbas. Thank you very much, Mr. President. And thank you 
for finding the time to meet with us during these days. There is no 
doubt that we will always remember the efforts that you have undertook 
to promote the peace process. You were the first sitting President who 
accepted as a policy the establishment of two states--a state of Israel 
and a state of Palestine--living next to each other in peace and 
security. And this policy has became a reality in every corner around 
the world.
    And we also remember very fondly, Mr. President, the great efforts 
that you have undertook to convene the Annapolis conference after so 
many years of absent peace process accords. This conference was attended 
by representatives from more than 50 countries from around the world and 
made it a reality that the roadmap would be the way to go.
    Also the Annapolis conference talked about and promoted the 
bilateral direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians 
over the fundamental and basic issues. These basic issues, as we all 
know, they include Jerusalem, settlements, borders, refugees, water, 
security, as well as prisoners. And of course, you pushed very hard for 
the two sides to carry out their commitments based on phase one of the 
roadmap and to carry out their responsibilities. And you were clear 
about both Palestinian commitments as well as Israeli commitments.
    On the basis of your efforts and the convening of the Annapolis 
conference, two other conferences took place--the Paris and the Berlin 
conferences. And during the Paris conference, there was an agreement in 
order to support financially, in a very generous way, the Palestinian 
Authority. After that, we have seen on the grounds that the West Bank 
was much calmer, and there was performance on security throughout that 
part of Palestine. And we also appreciate the efforts that were given to 
us in the area of security, which helped our own security apparatus to 
carry out their responsibilities.

[[Page 1572]]

    Also developments took place on issues in the West Bank, such as 
progress on security, as well as the economic situation, as well as the 
social conditions.
    There is no doubt that we exerted efforts also to promote the peace 
process under your leadership during the last year; and together we put 
the fundamental, basic things needed for the peace process. There is no 
doubt that we will continue these efforts and the peace negotiations. 
But everything will be based on the foundation, and that foundation was 
laid by you during your time in office. Because we are committed to the 
peace process--and this is not a slogan or a rhetorical commitment: We 
are practically committed to the peace process. And we are confident all 
these efforts will be transferred to the new administration that will 
continue to do its part regarding the peace process.
    Some might say that all these efforts perhaps went in vain. I happen 
to disagree. I believe that they have cemented the real principles that 
carried out the peace process and the negotiations forward. And here I 
have also to mention the Arab League peace initiative to promote peace, 
which is actually published today in a number of newspapers, including 
American newspapers today. And the purpose of this also coincides to 
cement your vision of two states as well as the principle of land for 
peace.
    We are here today, Mr. President, in order to express our 
appreciation for your efforts. And we know very well that we would not 
have been able to go that far in our work without your support and the 
promotion of the peace process.
    I also would like to take the opportunity to thank members of your 
own administration: Secretary Rice, as well as Mr. Hadley, those people 
who worked with us tirelessly.
    Thank you very much.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Shukran jazeelan.

Note: The President spoke at 1:28 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of 
Israel. President Abbas spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were translated 
by an interpreter.