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02 December 2004

Bush Discourages Foreign Influence in Future Ukrainian Elections

Responds to a taken question during a briefing with Nigerian president

There should be no foreign influence in any future Ukrainian presidential elections, President Bush says, stressing that elections "must reflect the will of the people and not that of any foreign governments."

Bush was responding to a question during a joint briefing with visiting Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at the White House December 2.

He again thanked Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, and the European Union for their efforts to resolve the Ukrainian election crisis by bringing the opposing parties together to work toward a political and legal solution.

Following is the taken question:

(begin text)

The White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov
Washington, DC

Office of the Press Secretary
December 2, 2004

Taken question taken during a joint briefing with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at the White House:

Q. Sir, should there be a new election in Ukraine, and should it be free of Russian influence?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, I think any election, if there is one, ought to be free from any foreign influence. These elections ought to be open and fair. I appreciate the progress that is being made. I particularly want to again thank my friend, the President of Poland, the President of Lithuania, and the EU for its involvement in helping to resolve the Ukrainian election crisis.

The position of our government is that the will of the people must be known and heard. And, therefore, I will -- we will continue to monitor and be involved in a process that encourages there to be a peaceful resolution of this issue. And, you know, there are different options on the table and we're watching very carefully what is taking place. But any election in any country must be -- must reflect the will of the people and not that of any foreign government.

(end text)

(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=2004&m=December&x=20041202144152btruevecer0.7123529&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html