19 September 2001
Transcript: Bush Meets with French President Chirac at White House
(Sept. 18: France prepared to "work in complete solidarity" with US)
(1800)
President Bush welcomed French President Jacques Chirac to the White
House September 18 and said he is confident the United States and
France will "work in a collaborative way to achieve a common
objective" in fighting global terrorism.
It was Bush's first formal visit with a world leader since terrorists
hijacked four commercial jetliners on September 11 and crashed them
into the World Trade Center in New York, a section of the Pentagon,
and a field in Pennsylvania, killing thousands of people.
Speaking with reporters before holding a working dinner with Chirac,
Bush described the fight against terrorism as "a new kind of war."
Chirac preferred not to categorize it as such, saying only it is "a
conflict of a completely new nature." However, the French president
said his country stands in total solidarity -- a "solidarity of the
heart" -- with the United States and is prepared to "do everything
which is necessary, in consultation with them, to reach this target
which is the elimination of terrorism."
"And I would also like to add that practically all the leaders of the
world are following the same line," Chirac said.
Bush stressed that the fight is not a campaign against Islam or the
Arab people but a campaign against terrorists and "evil-doers who hate
freedom."
One reporter asked what should be done next in the Middle East
following the announcement of another Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire.
"The next step, of course, is to stay involved in the region; is to
work with both the Palestinians and the Israelis to encourage them to
seize the moment; to hold Mr. Arafat to his word that he will fight
violence; and to encourage the Israelis to sit down and have
meaningful dialogue," Bush said.
Following is the White House transcript of the media availability:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
September 18, 2001
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH AND PRESIDENT CHIRAC OF FRANCE IN PHOTO
OPPORTUNITY
The Oval Office
6:30 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: It is my honor to welcome a good friend, a good
personal friend and a good friend of America to the Oval Office. It's
the first formal visit I've had with any world leader since the
terrible day a week ago.
After the incident, after that day, I got a lot of phone calls, and
one of the most meaningful phone calls of all was from Jacques Chirac,
who expressed his concern for the American citizens. He expressed his
desire to stand solidly with America during this terrible, terrible
day. President Chirac understands that we have entered a new type of
war. It's a war against people who hate freedom. And I am honored to
welcome our friend here to the Oval Office.
Welcome, sir.
PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Thank you. I've come here to tell you of the emotion
-- the emotion of France, the French people, an emotion which has no
precedent in history before this tragedy, which does not have a
parallel. Indeed, it is a tragic event, something which is beyond
crime; there are no words to qualify it.
I want to tell President Bush, who is my friend, that we stand in
total solidarity -- we bring you the total solidarity of France and
the French people. It is solidarity of the heart.
I also wanted to say that we are completely determined to fight by
your side this new type of evil, of absolute evil, which is terrorism.
And I also wanted to say that France is prepared and available to
discuss all means to fight and eradicate this evil.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.
Yes, Ron.
Q: Mr. President, sir, do you expect French and British soldiers to
fight side-by-side with ours?
And, President Chirac, do you agree that we are in a war, and is
France in it? Will you fight side-by-side with U.S. troops?
PRESIDENT BUSH: This is a new kind of war. This war will require
determination and patience. People who love freedom, such as Jacques
Chirac and the people of France, will join us. I'm confident of that,
in finding those who feel like they can terrorize nations because they
hate freedom.
We will -- it's a policy of my government not to discuss any plans we
may have as to how we intend to deal with the terrorists and the
terrorist networks that believe they can disrupt lives, anyplace,
anytime in the world. I look forward to talking with one of our
strongest allies in private about what's on my mind. But make no
mistake about it: This administration has got a firm goal and a
determination to achieve the goal, and that is to rally the world
toward a campaign to find terrorists, to smoke them out of their
holes, and to get them, and to bring them to justice.
And there's no doubt in my mind France joins with us in this most
important campaign. Jacques Chirac has -- this is my fourth meeting
with this leader. He's a man of vision. He's a man who understands
what I understand, that we've entered into a new era. And I feel
confident that we're going to work in a collaborative way to achieve a
common objective.
If you love freedom, you must join with us -- must join with America
and France. That's the message of this meeting. And we will discuss
ways that we can work in a way that will achieve the goal. And there's
no doubt in my mind that we'll find solidarity with the French and the
French government.
Q: Will your citizens fight shoulder-to-shoulder with ours?
PRESIDENT CHIRAC: I don't know whether we should use the word "war,"
but what I can say is that now we are faced with a conflict of a
completely new nature. It is a conflict which is attempting to destroy
human rights, freedom, the dignity of man. And I believe that
everything must be done to protect and safeguard these values of
civilization.
Therefore -- and we are, naturally, prepared to work in complete
solidarity with the United States and do everything which is
necessary, in consultation with them, to reach this target which is
the elimination of terrorism. And I would also like to add that
practically all the leaders of the world are following the same line.
Q: Mr. President, don't you think it's high time for the occidental
world to review in a very tougher way its relationship with a certain
number of, let's say, Arabic countries which have been helping or
harboring the terrorists?
PRESIDENT BUSH: In my statement to our nation, I told the people of
the United States that we would not only hold those who committed
these horrible acts accountable, that we would also hold those
accountable who harbored them, who fed them, who hide them. That's our
policy.
Many, many Arab -- first of all, it is important to know that this is
not a campaign against Islam; this is not a campaign against Arab
people. This is a campaign against terrorists. This is a campaign
against evil-doers who hate freedom.
I have had, and I'm sure Jacques, as well, have had strong statements
of solidarity from governments in the Middle East. I've talked to many
world leaders, Arab leaders, all of whom are outraged by the acts of
terrorism against America; all of whom understand it could be them, as
well. Terrorism knows no borders.
And so I've been very pleased with the outpouring of support. And we
will take the governments for their word and will work with them to
disrupt the finances, the travel, the communications. We will find
them in their hiding places, and we'll get them moving, and we'll
bring them to justice. Make no mistake about it.
Q: Mr. President --
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, Patsy.
Q: Do you think the Middle East cease-fire will hold? And what do you
think the next step should be for both the Israelis and the
Palestinians?
PRESIDENT BUSH: We've had very positive developments in the Middle
East today, and it's one of the subjects that my friend and I will
discuss. I was very pleased by the statements by Chairman Arafat,
followed by the strong statements by the Israelis that they would
stand down troops.
And I hope in my heart of hearts that out of this evil comes good. I
think it will -- I'm a very optimistic person. And one of the goods
that can come is that people involved with the Middle East conflict,
that both leaders here want to resolve, realize that a terrorist way
of life is not going to lead to a peaceful resolution for people.
The next step, of course, is to stay involved in the region; is to
work with both the Palestinians and the Israelis to encourage them to
seize the moment; to hold Mr. Arafat to his word that he will fight
violence; and to encourage the Israelis to sit down and have
meaningful dialogue, with the attempt to get into the Mitchell
process. And it's a glimmer of hope that all of us hope that the
parties involved will seize.
Q: Mr. President, how will this new war be fought? This new war
against terrorism?
PRESIDENT BUSH: It is new, and it's important for the world to
understand that there are no beaches to storm, there are no islands to
conquer, there are no battle lines to be drawn. It's a war that is
going to take an international effort. It's going to take all of us to
gather the necessary intelligence, the necessary information, to be
able to find the location of terrorists; to work with governments to
smoke them out of their safe houses, to get them moving, and then have
the courage to bring them to justice.
My government will commit whatever resources is necessary to be
effective in this all-important cause. I repeat: We're fighting for
liberty and freedom, a way of life that is so essential for humankind,
mankind to be able to realize their full potential. And we are focused
on achieving the goal.
There's going to be a time when free nations settle in to what is
viewed as an ordinary life -- and I hope that happens soon; I hope
that happens soon. But make no mistake about it: My goal, my
intentions will not diminish with time. I am absolutely -- I know that
we are called to respond to terror now. This is the time. And the
world is ready for leadership. And Jacques Chirac is ready to provide
that leadership, as am I.
I want to thank you all for being here.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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