Президент Буш приветствует в Белом Доме премьер-министра Канады Мартина Выступления президента Буша и канадского премьер-министра Мартина в форме интервью Розовый Сад
11:53 восточное летнее время
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: The Prime Minister and I will have some opening
comments. We'll answer two questions per side.
Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. I'm glad you're here. I've really
been looking forward to this meeting because I view it as a meeting
between friends and allies.
I really appreciate the Prime Minister's
clear vision about the world in which we live. He understands the
danger of terror. He understands the opportunity of trade. And he
understands that we share values that will -- that are so important,
the values of freedom, human dignity. We care about the human
condition. I appreciate your concern about working together to help
heal those who hurt, provide medicines for those who suffer from a
disease.
We've got a good friend in Canada. It's an important
relationship; it's a crucial relationship; and it's one that I look
forward to continuing to nurture with this Prime Minister.
Welcome.
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: Well, thank you, Mr. President. We really
did have a very, very good discussion. We discussed a wide range of
areas, and we're going to continue over lunch. And we're doing it
within the context of our shared values and the fact that we share
much more than a continent. We talked about national security and
Canada's new national security policy, which makes it very clear
that we're going to defend the northern half of North America, and
we recognize our responsibilities to those in the United States,
with whom we share the continent.
We discussed a number of issues between us. We talked about -- we
talked about the whole question of BSE, mad cow, and I must say that
the President was very encouraging. We also -- (begins speaking in
French).
We talked about Haiti. We talked about a wide range of issues.
And I must say, Mr. President, that it's very clear that Canada and
the United States, working together, we can make great progress.
Q Mr. President, 134 soldiers have died in Iraq this month, more
than any other month. A year after you declared an end to major
combat, are things getting worse in Iraq rather than better?
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: First, any time you talk about somebody who died
in Iraq, or in Afghanistan, is a moment for me to thank them and
their families for their sacrifice. And their sacrifice will not go
in vain because there will be a free Iraq. And a free Iraq is in the
interests of our two nations. A free Iraq is in the interests of
world peace. Because free societies do not harbor terrorists; free
societies do not threaten people or use weapons of mass destruction.
Q Mr. President -- sorry.
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: A year ago, I did give the speech from the
carrier, saying that we had achieved an important objective, that
we'd accomplished a mission, which was the removal of Saddam
Hussein. And as a result, there are no longer torture chambers or
rape rooms or mass graves in Iraq. As a result, a friend of terror
has been removed, and now sits in a jail. I also said on that
carrier that day that there was still difficult work ahead.
And we've faced tough times in Iraq, Mr.
Prime Minister, we've had some tough times. We've had some tough
fighting, because there are people who hate the idea of a free Iraq.
They're trying to stop progress, because they understand what
freedom means to their terrorist ambitions.
And so we're making progress, you bet. There's a strategy toward
freedom. One of it, of course, is to continue to deal with those who
are trying to stop the Iraqi people from realizing their ambitions
of a free society. Whether it be in Fallujah, or elsewhere, we will
deal with them, those few who are stopping the hopes of many.
There's a political strategy, and the Prime Minister and I will
talk about that over lunch -- Mr. Brahimi's mission of putting
together an entity to which we will transfer sovereignty. No, there
is a strategy that will help us achieve the objective, which is a
free and peaceful country in the heart of the Middle East that is
desperate for freedom and democracy and peace.
Q Mr. President, you're a rancher. Is there any hope -- what hope
can you offer your fellow ranchers in Canada about when the border
might be open to live Canadian cattle?
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: As soon as possible. My administration is
committed to a policy of free trade when it comes to beef. And we
had a discussion about that today with -- that subject today, with
our respective agricultural ministers -- or secretaries, as we call
them here. And I assured the Prime Minister, I want to get this
solution -- this issue solved as quickly as possible. And it's in
our nations' interests that live beef be moving back and forth. It's
also in the interest to make sure we make decisions based upon sound
science, which he fully understands.
Q Mr. President --
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: Hold on a second. Steve.
Q What is your reaction to photos of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi
prisoners? How are you going to win their hearts and minds with
these sort of tactics?
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: Yes, I shared a deep disgust that those prisoners
were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not
reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do
things in America. And so I -- I didn't like it one bit.
But I also want to remind people that those few people who did
that do not reflect the nature of the men and women we've sent
overseas. That's not the way the people are, that's not their
character, that are serving our nation in the cause of freedom. And
there will be an investigation. I think -- they'll be taken care of.
Q Mr. President, could you tell us what
you'd like to see Canada doing on Iraq, both diplomatically and in
terms, eventually, of getting possibly police and troops on the
ground there?
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: My first answer to that is, I want to Canada to
do what it feels comfortable doing in Iraq. That's -- and that's
what I told the Prime Minister before. Canada is an independent
nation. Canada makes -- will make its decisions based upon her own
judgment. The Prime Minister shares my deep desire for there to be
peace in the world. And to the extent that the country feels
comfortable in helping that, we're grateful.
Canada is doing a lot in Afghanistan. Canada is doing a lot in
Haiti. Canada is a contributor to reconstruction in Iraq. And I am
grateful to be able to talk to a friend who shares the same goal,
which is affecting behavior in a way that's based upon our values of
human rights, human dignity, and freedom. And we've got no better
partner in understanding the power of free societies.
There's a lot of people in the world who don't believe that
people whose skin color may not be the same as ours can be free and
self-govern. I reject that. I reject that strongly. I believe that
people who practice the Muslim faith can self-govern. I believe that
people whose skins aren't necessarily -- are a different color than
white can self-govern.
And the Prime Minister -- I don't want to put words in his mouth
-- but I think he shares that great sense of optimism and
possibility. And it's good to have a friend who shares that with us.
Would you like to have the First Ladies come on up?
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: I've got to say, though, I really do like
sharing a press conference with you. You answer those questions
perfectly. (Laughter.)
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: Спасибо. Запишите это.
ВОПРОС (задан по-французски)
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: (отвечает по-французски)
If you can give me just two seconds, I'm going to translate. They
want it.
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: Some of these guys understand French. (Laughter.)
Raise your hand, Gregory. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: (Translating his remarks in French.)
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: Listen, thank you all.
Come on up, Laura.
MRS. MARTIN: How do you do?
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: Good to see you.
MRS. BUSH: Prime Minister, welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
Q Will the next trip be down at the ranch, Mr. President, for the
Prime Minister?
ПРЕЗИДЕНТ БУШ: This is a nice place, but the ranch is even
nicer. (Laughter.)
Q You need to teach him to ride. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: I'll invite him to the farm.