19 December 2003
Bush Meets with Baker on Iraqi Debt Restructuring
White House Report, Dec. 19: Baker trip, Guantanamo prisoners, phone calls
President Bush met the afternoon of December 19 at the White House with James Baker, his personal envoy on reducing Iraq's debt burden.
Baker reported to the president on "the positive discussions" he had on this issue this week in Paris, Berlin, Rome, London and Moscow, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters.
Baker met in Paris with French President Jacques Chirac, in Berlin with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, in Rome with Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in London with Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair and in Moscow with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
Asked whether Bush is satisfied with the initial pronouncements on the debt issue from France, Germany and Russia, three countries that opposed Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, McClellan said "the fact that all recognize the importance of substantially reducing Iraq's debt burden is a welcome sign.
"The secretary has had very good and productive meetings with leaders in those countries. ... There still remains much to be done, but we're off to a good start. And the secretary will continue visiting other capitals in the coming weeks."
McClellan said that "in terms of specific amounts that they're talking about, we're going to have future discussions about that, there will be a future agreement on what constitutes substantial debt reduction for Iraq.
"But as President Chirac and Chancellor Schroeder, Prime Minister Berlusconi and Prime Minister Blair said, it's very important that we work to seek substantial debt reduction in the Paris Club in 2004. And President Putin also made some very welcoming comments to work with us in that regard."
"Secretary Baker's focus is on restructuring and reducing Iraq's debt. And we're making some good progress there, but there's much that remains to be done."
Asked whether the capture of Saddam Hussein has changed the dynamic at all between Bush and some of these world leaders, McClellan said "we have always said that we all share the same goal, and that is helping to build a free and prosperous and democratic future for the Iraqi people.
"This is about helping the Iraqi people realize a brighter future. Regardless of where you stood prior to the action we took to enforce Security Council Resolution 1441, we can all agree on the need to help the Iraqi people realize a better and brighter future, and work together in that regard. And we welcome all the contributions that are being made across the world to help the Iraqi people in that regard."
Baker served as Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State in previous Republican administrations.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS GUANTANAMO BAY PRISONERS ENEMY COMBATANTS
Asked to comment on the December 18 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base should have access to lawyers and the American court system, McClellan defended the United States position that the over 600 persons confined there may be detained indefinitely without charges or trial because they were picked up overseas on suspicion of terrorism and are being held on foreign land.
These prisoners "were involved in plotting and planning attacks against the United States of America, or American citizens abroad," McClellan said.
"And that's why they have been designated as enemy combatants. We are at war on terrorism, and this is a longstanding authority that the President of the United States has had in order to carry out his most solemn obligation, which is to protect the American people. And the President of the United States will continue to do what it takes to protect the American people in a way that upholds and respects our Constitution as we move forward."
An order by President Bush in November 2001 calls for captives to be detained as "enemy combatants" if they are members of al-Qaida, engaged in or aided terrorism, or harbored terrorists. The designation may also be applied if it is "the interest of the United States" to hold an individual during hostilities.
BUSH PHONES LEADERS OF COLOMBIA, MEXICO
President Bush December 19 made phone calls to Mexico's President Vicente Fox and Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe December 19, McClellan reported.
"Both leaders congratulated President Bush on our military's and intelligence community's capture of Saddam Hussein. And then they discussed some bilateral issues, as well, and other issues," the Press Secretary said.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=December&x=20031219181855ssor0.8546869&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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