President Bush, PM Durao Discuss Mutual Desire to Fight Terror
Remarks of the President and Prime Minister Durao of Portugal in Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
10:57 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: It's my honor to welcome Prime Minister Durao
of Portugal to the Oval Office. He's one of the bright young leaders
on the international stage. And it's a conversation I've been looking
forward to having with Jose.
He comes at a very interesting time. It's a time where the world
is discussing the present and the future. Today -- tomorrow
we'll be reliving a horrible reminder of what is possible in the
21st century -- that is, no country is immune from attack.
We will discuss today our mutual desire to fight terror.
And I appreciate the government of Portugal for its strong support
in the war against terror. We will also discuss future threats that
we face, all of us face -- the dire possibilities that outlaw
regimes will develop weapons of mass destruction and use them with
terrorist organizations, or use them on their own, against countries
which love freedom, countries such as Portugal.
We will discuss our relationship in NATO, and of course we've
got a very important conference coming in NATO about the
expansion. I look forward to hearing the Prime Minister's views on
that important issue.
So you're here at a perfect time --
PRIME MINISTER DURAO: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: -- to discuss important issues. I value
his judgment, I look forward to his advice.
Mr. Prime Minister, if you'd like to say a few things.
PRIME MINISTER DURAO: Okay, thank you very much. Let me first of
all thank very much Mr. Bush, President Bush, for receiving me here
today. I think it is very important the United States of America and
President Bush listens to the opinion of close allies, and Portugal
is a very close ally of the United States.
I think that it was Winston Churchill that said once that:
The problem with allies is that sometimes they have opinions.
(Laughter.) And I come here to listen to President Bush, but also --
THE PRESIDENT: I'm going to listen. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER DURAO: -- to give you my opinion, very frankly.
The opinion of a friend, the opinion of a close ally of the United
States, a country that shares the same basic values.
And I think at this very moment, where there are some global
threats that have to have a global answer, we should act globally.
And that's one of the messages I will convey to President Bush, a
personality I admire very much for everything he represents, for the
free world, the way he has led this global coalition against
terrorism.
And I'm very proud to be today here with you, to convey to you
the deep respect of the Portuguese people -- indeed, I would say,
of Europe -- in all our common endeavors against global terrorism.