President Bush, Italian President Ciampi Discuss Iraq
Remarks by President Bush and Italian President Ciampi in Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
11:55 A.M. EST
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all for coming. Mr. President, it is my
honor to welcome you to the Oval Office. You come at a difficult
period for your country. You come at a time when your nation grieves
for the brave sons who lost their life. I send our nation's gratitude
and prayers to the loved ones who are grieving today in Italy.
I want to thank you for the friendship between our two nations. I
want to thank you for your strong leadership in standing up to the
terrorists who are trying to create fear and chaos. And I want to
thank you for your understanding that a free and peaceful Iraq will
help make the entire world more peaceful.
So it is my privilege and honor to welcome a close friend to the
Oval Office.
PRESIDENT CIAMPI: Today I come to the United States as President
of the Italian Republic and as a staunch advocate of European
integration. I will go to Arlington Cemetery this afternoon. No
Italian, no European can ever forget how much democratic Europe owes to
the young Americans who gave their lives for our freedom. On Sunday I
will go to Ground Zero to honor the victims of terrorism.
I want to thank President Bush for his words for expressing
solidarity in connection with the horrible attack against Italian
forces in Iraq. Italy went to Iraq not to take part in a war, but to
contribute to rebuild a country. This is the identity of the Italian
Republic, to build peace, to solve post-conflict situations. We have
done it in the past, and we do it in many parts of the world today.
With President Bush, we agreed on the goal to accelerate full
implementation of United Nations Resolution 1511. We support the idea
of drawing a roadmap for the Iraqi political process, in order to
establish a full-fledged government.
The ideals of democracy and freedom have their roots and their
strongest foundation in Europe and North America. As it happens even
among friends, there have been problems between us on specific aspects
of transatlantic cooperation. We are committed, especially us
Italians, to put them fully behind us, for they do not stand and cannot
stand the -- solidarity between Europe and the United States.
Upholding Atlantic cohesion is a duty and a necessity.
I already mentioned to President Bush, and we will continue to do
so during the working lunch, about the rational of what the European
Union wants to do to become more united and speak with a single voice.
We are progressing in bringing about and completing a constitutional
treaty which will enable the European Union to function better, and
again, to speak with a single voice.
A united, stronger, with a new configuration Europe will be a
stronger Europe, will be 25 member states and over 450 million
citizens, and will reinforce and span a vast area of security and
peace. And they will become a better partner also for the United
States.
I intend to continue on my conversation with President Bush so that
we can work together, United States, Italy, Europe, to reinforce
pressures to bring about a solution to the conflict of Israel and
Palestinian problem, so that we can arrive to a right and just
solution. And this will help us to fight, better, terrorists. And we
have to find terrorists, terrorism in a better way, so that the Islamic
world will know that we view them as a civilization both near and
friendly to ours.
In conclusion, I think that we should reinforce our actions to
increase the actions also within the international institutions, such
as the United Nations, to whose establishment the United Nations has
made a fundamental contribution. Italy will continue to fight with
determination terrorists.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. Listen, we'll have a couple of
questions here. We'll alternate between the American press and the
Italian press. We expect there to be some order here during the
question and answer period.
In order to set the example, Jennifer, would you like to begin in a
calm and rational way?
Q I would. With the speeding up of the transfer of power in
Iraq, do you envision that meaning a quicker reduction of U.S. forces
there?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, we are -- I instructed Ambassador Bremer to
take -- to go back to Iraq with the instructions that we will work with
the Governing Council to speed up the political process in a rationale
way. That's what he's going to do on the belief that we've made a lot
of progress on the ground, that the Governing Council is better
prepared to take more responsibility.
In terms of security, we will do whatever it takes to help Iraq
develop into a free and peaceful country. That is our goal. And we
will stay there until the job is done. And then we'll leave. And the
enemy has changed tactics on the ground, and so we're changing our
response. And that's what you're beginning to see now -- the
discussions with General Abizaid, and the discussions with Bremer, and
all the different pieces of evidence to that effect, are really saying
that as the enemy changes, so will we. And we'll bring them to
justice, and Iraq will be more secure, and Iraq is going to be free.
And that's in the nation's interest that it be so.
Would you like to call on an Italian member of the press? There is
a traveling press from Italy, isn't there? Would anybody care to ask a
question.
Q It's a question to both you, President Bush, and President
Ciampi. Italy is going through a very difficult time as it is the case
for other countries who are present in Iraq. And so the question is,
will the presence of U.S. and Italian troops in Iraq change their
strategy in order to respond to the deterioration of the situation?
PRESIDENT BUSH: That's a very good question. I'll go first, if
you don't mind. The answer to your question is, yes. It's very
important that our commanders on the ground be given flexibility to be
able to adjust tactics to an enemy that is changing its tactics. First
of all, the enemy wants to create the condition of fear. They want
people to fear them. They will lose that aspect of the battle because
we -- our will will remain strong.
And secondly, we must use more Iraqis to gather intelligence and to
be on the front line of securing their own country. And that's exactly
what we're doing.
And third, when we find actionable intelligence, we will strike
fast to bring killers to justice. And that's what we're doing, as
well.
PRESIDENT CIAMPI: I only want to add a few words, and this
concerns exclusively tactical maneuvers that have to be decided by the
commanders who are on the field, on site. Our military forces received
specific and very clear instructions when they went to Iraq. The
implementation of these instructions stem from the assessment of their
commanders on the field.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Steve.
Q Can you envision pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq before
Saddam Hussein is found?
PRESIDENT BUSH: We will stay until the job is done. And the job
is for Iraq to be free and peaceful. A free and peaceful Iraq will
have historic consequences. And we'll find Saddam Hussein. The goal is
for a free and peaceful Iraq. And by being strong and determined, we
will achieve that objective.
Final question here. I promised the President I would buy him
lunch, and if we keep answering questions, we won't be able to eat
lunch.
PRESIDENT CIAMPI: I have nothing else to add.
Q I have a question to President Bush. Given the difficult
security situation in the country and given the fact that the Red Cross
left the country, what can be done to ensure a guaranteed protection of
the return of the Red Cross, and also of other humanitarian
organizations?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, that's an excellent question. Thank you for
asking that. First, there are Red Cross workers still there. The
headquarters left Baghdad, but many workers are still there. Secondly,
there are -- besides the Red Cross, there are other organizations still
in place that are delivering the humanitarian help that is needed to
help Iraq rebuild herself.
It is very important for the leaders of the NGOs to recognize that
if they don't go into Baghdad, they're doing exactly what the
terrorists want them to do. The situation on the ground for the Iraqi
citizens, the humanitarian situation is improving, and the main reason
why is because there are ministries up and running, staffed by very
capable Iraqi citizens.
We will stay the course, and as more and more Iraqis realize
freedom is precious and freedom is a beautiful way of life, they will
assume more and more responsibilities, not only for security, but for
humanitarian reasons, as well.
Finally, I want to thank the Italian people once again for working
toward a world that is more humane and more decent and more peaceful.
The Iraqi people deserve to live a life of freedom. The Iraqi people
deserve to have their children go to schools. The Iraqi people deserve
to be free of torture chambers and mass graves. And the work we are
doing together is humane and compassionate and necessary for peace.
And I thank the people of Italy.
Thank you all.
PRESIDENT CIAMPI: I just want to add that the Italian Red Cross is
still in Iraq, and they're still carrying out their duties, and they're
giving assistance to the people who is really in need of assistance.
PRESIDENT BUSH: All right. We've got to go eat. I hope you do,
too.