THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, Mr. Prime
Minister. Listen, we're so honored you're
here. Thank you so much for coming to
America. There is a huge number of Greek Americans who live
in our country who have still got great fondness for their -- for your
country.
I am most appreciative, sir, of your strong stand against
terror. You have been a friend in our mutual concerns about
routing out terror around the world and I want to thank you for that
very much.
I'm also very appreciative of your administration's working with
Turkey. Relations have improved with Turkey and, as a
result, the world is better off. And I want to thank you for
your vision, for your foreign ministry's hard work to do what is right
for the world, to make the world more peaceful.
We've got a lot in common with your country; we've got a lot of
interests in common. I look forward to discussing those with
you. I also look forward to the Olympics. Thank
you for your invitation. It's going to be a magnificent
moment for the sporting world to have the Olympics return to
Athens. I'm confident your country will do a fine job.
So welcome to the White House, we're so glad you're here.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, Mr.
President. I'm so very glad to be here and have the
possibility to discuss with you the problems -- the subjects are
interesting for us.
We are totally committed to the fight against international
terrorism. And, as you know, we take part in the Afghanistan
effort. We will be part also in the international peace
corps in Afghanistan. And I think it's necessary to
cooperate in order to fight terrorism all over the world, because there
are also -- for example, in the Balkans, group terrorists, groups in
all the Balkan countries and we think that this must be controlled.
Thank you also for your appreciation for our effort concerning the
Greek-Turkish relations. We make -- we want more peace and
stability in the region and this is our main principle, how -- apply
international laws that we have a southeastern Europe that is really
peaceful.
As you know, I showed you the coins of the new Euro.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
THE PRIME MINISTER: This means -- this means a big
banking change for Europe, because the whole environment will
change. There will be a new feeling about the possibilities
of Europe and there will be new discussions on the new European
structures, on the necessity of new cooperation; and also of the
necessity, I hope, of a closer cooperation with the United States in
order to solve the common problems.
So this is a new era and I'm very glad to be here to greet the new
year.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, sir. Thank
you, Mr. Prime Minister. Welcome.
Thank you, all.
Q You don't want to take a question?
THE PRESIDENT: I took them all this morning -- you just
were in the wrong pool.