President Meets with Macedonian Prime Minister Bučkovski

President George W. Bush is joined in the Oval Office by Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005, for a photo availability. The President welcomed Prime Minister Buckovski and thanked him for his country's strong support in the war on terror.

White House photo by Eric Draper. President Meets with Macedonian Prime Minister Bučkovski, The Oval Office, 2:46 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BUSH: It's been my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of Macedonia to the Oval Office. Prime Minister, I am grateful for your friendship. I am grateful for the strong support that you have given in our efforts to win the war on terror. You've been a steadfast ally, and the American people are grateful. I also appreciate the fact that you have committed troops alongside our troops, in some of the world's newest democracies, in Afghanistan and Iraq. I want to thank you for that, as well.

I also appreciate the progress you've made in implementing the Ohrid Agreement. You've showed the world that it's possible for people of different backgrounds to live together in peace. I want to thank you for your leadership. I also compliment you on the progress you've made toward implementing the reforms necessary for consideration in NATO and the EU. I know this is a big concern to you. I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts with me about your country's desire to join NATO and your aspirations for the EU. I appreciate that very much. Thank you for your confidence.

All in all, I'm impressed by your leadership, and welcome you to the Oval Office.

PRIME MINISTER BUČKOVSKI : Thank you, Mr. President. I feel be here in the White House with President Bush and the historic 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Macedonian bilateral relations, which I must say, have never been closer. We have agreed that today Macedonia is a success story in building a stable, multiethnic democracy in the Balkans.

I thanked President Bush for the continued U.S. support of our democracy -- specifically for the U.S. role in the implementation of the Ohrid framework agreement, and to also express the gratitude of the people of Macedonian for U.S. recognition of our constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia.

And I told the President that we are proud to have our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that we intend to stay there as long as it is needed. We highly appreciate the leadership of President Bush and advancing freedom and democracy throughout the world. We have both emphasized the importance of Macedonia's NATO integration and EU candidacy in cementing our progress and helping the region make the final step on the path of the Europe.

And finally, I told President Bush that Macedonia will continue to play a positive and constructive role in the Balkans, especially now, when Belgrade and Pristina, together, lead the international community, will start negotiation about eventual permanent status of Kosovo.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. Appreciate you.

END 2:49 P.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, October 26, 2005

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President Meets with President Barzani of Kurdistan Regional Government

President George W. Bush welcomes Massoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan regional government of Iraq, to the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005. White House photo by Eric Draper

President Bush Meets with President Barzani of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, The Oval Office, 2:46 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BUSH: It's my honor to welcome President Barzani of the Kurdistan regional government of Iraq to the Oval Office. He's a man of courage; he's a man who has stood up to a tyrant.

He wore this outfit because it wasn't all that long ago if he had worn this outfit and was captured by Saddam Hussein's thugs, he would have been killed for wearing it. He feels comfortable wearing it here because we're a free land, and he feels comfortable wearing it in his home country because Iraq is free.

We had a very good discussion. The President was very helpful on the current constitution. I assured him that America will stand with the people that desire a free and democratic Iraq. The President is -- has got a clear vision of the future of Iraq, one where different religions and different backgrounds -- people of different religions and backgrounds can live together in peace.

And so, Mr. President, welcome. It's an honor to have you here.

PRESIDENT BARZANI: (As translated.) Mr. President, allow me on behalf of the people of Kurdistan and myself to thank you, very much. We in Kurdistan, particularly, and also in Iraq, generally, we highly value the courage and bravery of your leadership. I hope that everybody would realize what the fact on the ground is about Iraq. It was a brave decision that you have made -- you have liberated a people from a dictatorial regime that has hurt a lot of the people.

At this time we express our condolences and we express our sympathy to the families of your brave men and women in uniform, those who have sacrificed their lives in order to make other people free and liberated. There is no doubt that if we step back from this and not be determined, be rest assured that the terrorists will come to the gates of you and us and they will fight us. Therefore, we have to think about nothing else but victory. And I'm quite confident that with your leadership, with your support and support of the United States military and United States people, and also the -- heroes of the people of Iraq, in general, the people of Kurdistan, we will achieve success at the end.

For those who are anti-democratic and also those who are against the process, they are very limited; and those who are supportive of your leadership, supportive of democratic process, they are many, and they highly appreciate the sacrifices that have been made by the American people and the American army. There are also many in Iraq, in general, and also in Kurdistan, all of them are appreciative.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir. Thanks for coming.

END 2:50 P.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, October 25, 2005

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