31 May 2003
Bush Urges NATO Nations to Unite in Fight Against Terrorism
("By waging this fight together, we will speed the day of final
victory") (3100)
President Bush, speaking to the people of Poland from Wawel Royal
Castle in Krakow May 31, urged nations in the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, both new and old, to work together to meet the threat of
global terrorism.
The United States, Bush said, owes its moral heritage of democracy and
tolerance and freedom to Europe. "We have sacrificed for those ideals
together, in the great struggles of the past," he said, referring to
the defeat of Nazism in the second world war, and the transatlantic
alliance that opposed "imperial communism," during the Cold War era.
"And today our alliance of freedom faces a new enemy, a lethal
combination of terrorist groups, outlaw states seeking weapons of mass
destruction, and an ideology of power and domination that targets the
innocent and justifies any crime.
"This is a time for all of us to unite in the defense of liberty and
to step up to the shared duties of free nations. This is no time to
stir up divisions in a great alliance," Bush said, referring to the
period leading up to this spring's war in Iraq.
For the United States, he said, the events of September 11, 2001 "were
as decisive as the attack on Pearl Harbor and the treachery of another
September in 1939. And the lesson of all those events is the same:
aggression and evil intent must not be ignored or appeased; they must
be opposed early and decisively.
"We are striving for a world in which men and women can live in
freedom and peace, instead of fear and chaos. And every civilized
nation has a stake in the outcome. By waging this fight together, we
will speed the day of final victory."
NATO, he said, "must be prepared to meet the challenges of our time.
This is a matter of capability and a matter of will. Our common
security requires European governments to invest in modern military
capabilities, so our forces can move quickly with a precision that can
strike the guilty and spare the innocent."
And NATO, Bush said, "must show resolve and foresight to act beyond
Europe, and it has begun to do so. NATO has agreed to lead security
forces in Afghanistan and to support our Polish allies in Iraq. A
strong NATO alliance, with a broad vision of its role, will serve our
security and the cause of peace."
In his remarks, Bush announced a new effort to fight weapons
proliferation called the Proliferation Security Initiative. "The
United States and a number of our close allies, including Poland,"
Bush said, "have begun working on new agreements to search planes and
ships carrying suspect cargo and to seize illegal weapons or missile
technologies. Over time, we will extend this partnership as broadly as
possible to keep the world's most destructive weapons away from our
shores and out of the hands of our common enemies."
Prior to speaking to the people of Poland, the president and Mrs. Bush
toured the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau to honor
the memory of the innocents lost in the Holocaust.
Bush then held a bilateral meeting with Poland's President Aleksander
Kwasniewski and Prime Minister Leszek Miller. Later in the day he was
scheduled to fly to St. Petersburg, Russia, to join in celebrating the
300th anniversary of the city's founding.
On Sunday, June 1, Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are to
meet to discuss issues of bilateral and regional interest. Bush then
is to fly to Geneva, Switzerland, en route to Evian, France, for the
annual G-8 Summit, bringing together heads of leading industrial
nations and Russia.
Following is a transcript of President Bush's remarks:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (Krakow, Poland)
May 31, 2003
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE PEOPLE OF POLAND
Wawel Royal Castle
Krakow, Poland
THE PRESIDENT: My friend, Mr. President. It's really good to be with
you again and, of course, the First Lady. Mr. Prime Minister, Your
Eminence, distinguished guests, citizens of Poland. I'm honored to be
in the city of Krakow, where so many landmarks give witness to
Poland's history and Poland's faith.
From this castle, Polish kings ruled for centuries in a tradition of
tolerance. Below this hill lies the market square, where Kosciuszko
swore loyalty to the first democratic constitution of Europe. And at
Wawel Cathedral in 1978, a Polish Cardinal began his journey to a
conclave in Rome, and entered history as Pope John Paul II -- one of
the greatest moral leaders of our time. (Applause.)
In all the tests and hardship Poland has known, the soul of the Polish
people has always been strong. Mrs. Bush and I are pleased to make our
second visit to this beautiful country, and we bring with us the
friendship and the good wishes of the American people. (Applause.)
In Warsaw two years ago, I affirmed the commitment of my country to a
united Europe, bound to America by close ties of history, of commerce
and of friendship. I said that Europe must finally overturn the bitter
legacy of Yalta and remove the false boundaries and spheres of
influence that divided this continent for too long.
We have acted on this commitment. Poland, the United States and our
allies have agreed to extend NATO eastward and southward, bringing the
peace and security of our alliance to the young democracies of Europe.
(Applause.)
And as the Atlantic alliance has expanded, it has also been tested.
America and European countries have been called to confront the threat
of global terror. Each nation has faced difficult decisions about the
use of military force to keep the peace. We have seen unity and common
purpose. We have also seen debate -- some of it healthy, some of it
divisive.
I have come to Krakow to state the intentions of my country. The
United States is committed to a strong Atlantic alliance, to ensure
our security, to advance human freedom and to keep peace in the world.
(Applause.) Poland struggled for decades to gain freedom and to fully
participate in life in Europe. And soon you will be a member of the
European Union.
You also struggled to become a full member of the Atlantic alliance,
yet you have not come all this way -- through occupations and tyranny
and brave uprisings -- only to be told that you must now choose
between Europe and America. Poland is a good citizen of Europe and
Poland is a close friend of America -- (applause) -- and there is no
conflict between the two. (Applause.)
America owes our moral heritage of democracy and tolerance and freedom
to Europe. We have sacrificed for those ideals together, in the great
struggles of the past. In the second world war, the forces of freedom
came together to defeat Nazism. In the Cold War, our transatlantic
alliance opposed imperial communism. And today our alliance of freedom
faces a new enemy, a lethal combination of terrorist groups, outlaw
states seeking weapons of mass destruction, and an ideology of power
and domination that targets the innocent and justifies any crime.
This is a time for all of us to unite in the defense of liberty and to
step up to the shared duties of free nations. This is no time to stir
up divisions in a great alliance. (Applause.)
For America, our resolve to fight terror was firmly set on a single
day of violence and sorrow. The attacks of September the 11th, 2001,
changed my country. On that morning, the American people saw the
hatred of our enemies and the future of grief they intend for us. The
American government accepted a mission to strike and defeat the terror
network and to hold accountable all who harbor it and all who support
it.
For my country, the events of September the 11th were as decisive as
the attack on Pearl Harbor and the treachery of another September in
1939. (Applause.) And the lesson of all those events is the same:
aggression and evil intent must not be ignored or appeased; they must
be opposed early and decisively. (Applause.)
We are striving for a world in which men and women can live in freedom
and peace, instead of fear and chaos. And every civilized nation has a
stake in the outcome. By waging this fight together, we will speed the
day of final victory.
One of the main fronts in this war is right here in Europe, where al
Qaeda used the cities as staging areas for their attacks. Europe's
capable police forces and intelligence services are playing essential
roles in hunting the terrorists. And Poland has led the effort to
increase anti-terror cooperation amongst central and eastern European
nations. And America is grateful. (Applause.)
Some challenges of terrorism, however, cannot be met with law
enforcement alone. They must be met with direct military action. The
Taliban regime in Afghanistan chose to support and harbor al Qaeda
terrorists. And so that regime is no more. The dictator in Iraq
pursued weapons of mass murder, cultivated ties to terror and defied
the demands of the United Nations -- so his regime has been ended.
In the battles of Afghanistan and Iraq, Polish forces served with
skill and honor. America will not forget that Poland rose to the
moment. Again you have lived out the words of the Polish motto: for
your freedom and ours. (Applause.)
In order to win the war on terror, our alliances must be strong.
(Applause.) Poland and America are proud members of NATO, and NATO
must be prepared to meet the challenges of our time. This is a matter
of capability and a matter of will. Our common security requires
European governments to invest in modern military capabilities, so our
forces can move quickly with a precision that can strike the guilty
and spare the innocent.
NATO must show resolve and foresight to act beyond Europe, and it has
begun to do so. NATO has agreed to lead security forces in Afghanistan
and to support our Polish allies in Iraq. A strong NATO alliance, with
a broad vision of its role, will serve our security and the cause of
peace.
The greatest threat to peace is the spread of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons. And we must work together to stop proliferation.
The countries of the G8 committed last year to aiding Russia and
others in securing and eliminating deadly weapons that remain from the
Soviet era. I welcome Poland's decision to join this effort.
And I call on America's G8 partners to follow through on their
financial commitments so that we can stop proliferation at one of its
sources. When weapons of mass destruction or their components are in
transit, we must have the means and authority to seize them. So today
I announce a new effort to fight proliferation called the
Proliferation Security Initiative. The United States and a number of
our close allies, including Poland, have begun working on new
agreements to search planes and ships carrying suspect cargo and to
seize illegal weapons or missile technologies. Over time, we will
extend this partnership as broadly as possible to keep the world's
most destructive weapons away from our shores and out of the hands of
our common enemies.
In the last 20 months, the world has seen the determination of my
country and many others to fight terror. Yet, armed force is always
the last resort. And Americans know that terrorism is not defeated by
military power alone. We believe that the ultimate answer to hatred is
hope. And as we fight the forces of terror, we must also change the
conditions in which terror can take root.
Terrorism is often bread in failing states, so we must help nations in
crisis to build a civil society of free institutions. The ideology of
terror takes hold in an atmosphere of resentment and hopelessness, so
we must help men and women around the world to build lives of purpose
and dignity.
In the long-term, we add to our security by helping to spread freedom
and alleviate suffering. And this sets a broad agenda for nations on
both sides of the Atlantic. In Africa, the spread of HIV/AIDS
threatens millions, and the stability of an entire continent. The
United States has undertaken a comprehensive, $15 billion effort to
prevent AIDS and to treat AIDS and provide humane care for its
victims. I urge our partners in Europe to make a similar commitment,
so we can work together in turning the tide against AIDS. (Applause.)
Global hunger is a chronic challenge, and we have a crisis in Africa.
The United States is establishing an emergency fund so we can rush
help to countries where the first signs of famine appear. The nations
of Europe can greatly help in this effort, with emergency funds of
their own. I hope European governments will reconsider policies that
discourage farmers in developing countries from using safe
biotechnology to feed their own people. (Applause.)
Wealthy nations have the responsibility to help the developing world
and to make certain our help is effective. Through the Millennium
Challenge Account, I have proposed a 50 percent increase in America's
core development assistance. This aid will go to where it will do the
most good -- not to corrupt elites but to nations that are ruled
justly, nations that invest in the health and education of their
people, and nations that encourage economic freedom. (Applause.)
If European governments will adopt the same standards, we can work
side-by-side in providing the kind of development aid that helps
transform entire societies. One of the greatest sources of development
and growth in any society is trade. America and Europe should lead the
effort to bring down global trade barriers. (Applause.)
A world that trades in freedom can bring millions of people into a
growing circle of prosperity. And America and Europe must work closely
to develop and apply new technologies that will improve our air and
water quality, and protect the health of the world's people.
(Applause.)
America and Europe are called to advance the cause of freedom and
peace, and these two commitments are inseparable. It is human rights
and private property, the rule of law and free trade and political
openness that undermine the appeal of extremism and create the stable
environment that peace requires. We are determined to demonstrate the
power of these ideals in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq.
And these ideals will provide the foundation for a reformed and
peaceful and independent Palestinian state.
Today in the Middle East, the emergence of new Palestinian leadership,
which has condemned terror, is a hopeful sign that the parties can
agree to two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in
peace and security. (Applause.)
Early next week I will go to the Middle East to meet with the
Palestinian and Israeli Prime Ministers, and other leaders in the
region. I will remind them that the work ahead will require difficult
decisions. I will remind them that for peace to prevail, all leaders
must fight terrorism and shake off old arguments and old ways. No
leader of conscience can accept more months and years of humiliation
and killing and mourning. I will do all that I can to help the parties
reach an agreement, and then to see that that agreement is enforced.
(Applause.)
To meet these goals of security and peace and a hopeful future for the
developing world, we welcome, we need the help, the advice and the
wisdom of our European friends and allies. (Applause.)
New theories of rivalry should not be permitted to undermine the great
principles and obligations that we share. The enemies of freedom have
always preferred a divided alliance -- because when Europe and America
are united, no problem and no enemy can stand against us. (Applause.)
Within an hour's journey of this castle lies a monument to the darkest
impulses of man. Today, I saw Auschwitz, the sites of the Holocaust
and Polish martyrdom; a place where evil found its willing servants
and its innocent victims. One boy imprisoned there was branded with
the number A70713. Returning to Auschwitz a lifetime later, Elie
Wiesel recalled his first night in the camp: I asked myself, God, is
this the end of your people, the end of mankind, the end of the world?
With every murder, a world was ended. And the death camps still bear
witness. They remind us that evil is real and must be called by name
and must be opposed. All the good that has come to this continent --
all the progress, the prosperity, the peace -- came because beyond the
barbed wire there were people willing to take up arms against evil.
(Applause.)
And history asks more than memory, because hatred and aggression and
murderous ambitions are still alive in the world. Having seen the
works of evil firsthand on this continent, we must never lose the
courage to oppose it everywhere. (Applause.) Through the years of the
Second World War, another legacy of the 20th century was unfolding,
here in this city of Krakow. A young seminarian, Karol Wojtyla, saw
the swastika flag flying over the ramparts of Wawel Castle. He shared
the suffering of his people and was put into forced labor. From this
priest's experience and faith came a vision: that every person must be
treated with dignity, because every person is known and loved by God.
In time, this man's vision and this man's courage would bring fear to
tyrants and freedom to his beloved country, and liberation to half a
continent. To this very hour, Pope John Paul II speaks for the dignity
of every life and expresses the highest aspirations of the culture we
share. Europe and America will always be joined by more than our
interests. Ours is a union of ideals and convictions. We believe in
human rights, and justice under law, and self-government, and economic
freedom tempered by compassion.
We do not own these beliefs, but we have carried them through the
centuries. We will advance them further and we will defend them
together. (Applause.)
Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for your friendship. May God
bless this great nation, and may God bless the Polish people.
(Applause.)
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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