Transcript: Bush says NATO Must Focus on "True Threats to Freedom" to Stay Relevant
(Nov. 19 interview in Washington for Czech television) (1170)
"The most important alliance America has is NATO, and the expansion of
NATO is something that I think is very important," President Bush told
a reporter for Czech TV November 19.
In the interview the day before his departure for the NATO Summit in
Prague as well as stops in Russia, Lithuania and Romania, Bush
discussed how NATO's role has changed from fighting the Soviet Union
and the Warsaw Pact to battling global terrorism.
"One way to make sure NATO is relevant is to focus on the true threats
to freedom, address those threats, and figure out ways that we can
work together to accomplish what we want, which is a peaceful world,"
said Bush.
When asked if the United States will seek the support of NATO if it
decides to go to war with Iraq, Bush said he hopes war with Iraq can
be avoided, but if Saddam Hussein refuses to disarm, "I hope our NATO
friends come with us. I think they will realize it's in the interest
of peace and stability."
Following is a transcript of the interview:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
November 19, 2002
INTERVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT BY CZECH TV
The Library
1:20 P.M. EST
Q: Mr. President, this week in Prague, NATO will invite seven
countries to join the Alliance, but there are other topics on the
agenda, and the future of NATO is one of them. What do you see NATO
will be doing in the 21st century? What is its role?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think -- first of all, I'm excited about going
to Prague, and I want to thank the citizens of that important city,
and the great country, for their hard work in recovering from the
floods and preparing Prague for our arrival.
This is going to be a historic meeting because, as you said, we're
expanding NATO. The most important alliance America has is NATO, and
the expansion of NATO is something that I think is very important.
The role of NATO is different as we go into the 21st century. NATO
used to be a way to defend Europe from the Warsaw Pact. But the Warsaw
Pact no longer exists. Russia is not an enemy. And we face new
threats, and the new threats are global terror. And so one way to make
sure NATO is relevant is to focus on the true threats to freedom,
address those threats, and figure out ways that we can work together
to accomplish what we want, which is a peaceful world, which means
better intelligence-sharing, the capacity to cut off money, and a
military operation that reflects the nature of the wars we'll be
fighting. And that's going to be one of the most important discussions
we face there in Prague.
Q: Well, there are really big gaps between the war fighting
capabilities of NATO -- of the United States, on one hand, and the
European countries on the other hand. And Lord Robertson is saying
that the Americans are not always willing to share the technology
necessary for NATO. Are you ready to participate on organization of
European forces?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think what has to happen is there first be a
strategy that recognizes that the Czech Republic can provide a certain
contribution, or the French, or the British -- not the French, but the
Germans or the British can provide certain kind of capabilities, and
that we dove-tail each capability to an overall strategy. In which
case, of course, America is willing to work with our friends and
allies, to make sure the NATO Alliance works properly.
In other words, everybody can contribute something. But it all has got
to be done within the strategy of the true threats we face in the 21st
century, which is global terrorism. That's the biggest threat to
freedom right now.
Q: You will certainly talk about Iraq. Will the United States, if it
decides to go to war with Iraq, seek the support of NATO as an
alliance?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first, I hope we don't have to go to war with
Iraq. I mean, my first choice is not to commit our troops to regime
change. I hope that Saddam Hussein does what he said he would do, and
that is disarm. For the sake of peace, he must disarm. Most nations
understand that -- most nations in NATO understand that. They want
Saddam to disarm.
The U.N. Security Council has spoken, and says he must disarm. So it's
his choice to make. If he refuses to disarm, then we will lead a
coalition of the willing and disarm him. And of course, I hope our
NATO friends come with us. I think they will realize it's in the
interest of peace and stability that that happen. But we're not close
to that decision point yet because we're just beginning the process of
allowing Saddam the chance to show the world whether or not he will
disarm.
And that's an important distinction the people of the Czech Republic
must know. It's not up to me, it's up to him. He said he would disarm,
and the inspectors are not the issue. The inspectors are simply a
means to determine his willingness. And we'll see. He's had a bad
history. He's had 11 years of lying and deceiving, and now it's time
to bring him to account, one way or the other.
Q: Some critics now see NATO as a tool box, and the United States just
goes and picks whatever it needs when it needs it. Do you agree?
THE PRESIDENT: No, of course, not. I mean, I think we view this as an
alliance of nations with whom we share common values. The common
values of freedom and individual rights and democracy. This is an
opportunity for us to combine our values with our deep desire to have
a peaceful world. And we will work in concert with each other, not in
opposition to each other. And by working in concert we can really
address those threats.
See, that's the interesting thing that people have got to know.
There's threats to your freedom. If you embrace freedom and love
freedom, and willing to stand strong against global terrorism, you
will be threatened. And we can't let that happen. It's just a
different type of threat that we face, but it's a true threat.
We face it here in America today. There's still an enemy that wants to
hit us. There's still an enemy that wants to hit our friends. And the
NATO charter says, if you attack one, you attack us all. And that's a
very important alliance, a very important statement of commonality to
keep the peace.
I think NATO is a good thing, and I look forward to working with our
friends in NATO.
Q: Mr. President, thank you very much for the interview.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. I'm so looking forward to going to Prague.
It's going to be an exciting time for Laura and me to go. Thank you.
Good job.
1:24 P.M. EST
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
