[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 5 (Monday, February 3, 2003)]
[Pages 133-134]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of 
Italy and an Exchange With Reporters

January 30, 2003

    President Bush. I will make an opening statement; Silvio will make 
an opening statement; we'll have one question from the Americans, one 
question from the Italians. We're running a little late. We'd like to 
spend hours answering your questions, but the problem is we've got other 
matters to work on.
    First, it's my honor to welcome Silvio Berlusconi back. He is a 
personal friend. Italy is a great friend of America; America is a great 
friend of Italy. The Prime Minister and I will of course be talking 
about a lot of matters, the most significant matter will be how to keep 
the peace, how to make the world a peaceful place.
    I am most grateful that the Prime Minister signed a letter, along 
with other leaders of European countries, which clarified the issue that 
we're dealing with, and that is that Saddam Hussein is a clear threat to 
peace. It was a strong statement. It also was a statement of solidarity 
with the United States, and I appreciated that very much.
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. Thank you.
    President Bush. I appreciate your friendship. I welcome you back to 
the Oval Office and look forward to having a long and fruitful 
discussion.
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. We are here for good work, for a just 
cause, and for everybody, I think. And I am here with a friend, with a 
country, that is the best friend of my country.
    President Bush. Well, thank you. And your English is very good.
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. No, no. I have never the time. We have so 
much to do in Italy, I have not the time to----
    President Bush. Not the time to practice?
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. ----to learn better English.
    President Bush. Well, thank you for that kind comment. Ron [Ron 
Fournier, Associated Press].

President Saddam Hussein of Iraq

    Q. Sir, are you open to giving Saddam a final deadline, and are you 
willing to let him slip into exile--this, a man who recently said he 
wants to break the neck of our country?
    President Bush. First, let me echo the comments of my National 
Security Adviser, who the other day in commenting about this process 
said this is a matter of weeks, not months. In other words, for the sake 
of peace, this issue must be resolved. Hopefully, it can be done 
peacefully. Hopefully, the pressure of the free world will convince Mr. 
Saddam Hussein to relinquish power, and should he choose to leave the 
country, along with a lot of the other henchmen who have tortured the 
Iraqi people, we would welcome that, of course.
    I will tell my friend Silvio that the use of military troops is my 
last choice, not my first. The commitment of young men and Americans 
into battle is a difficult decision, because I understand the cost of 
war. But I also understand the cost of inaction. There is a high price 
to be paid for the civilized world by not enforcing the opinion of the 
world, which was for Saddam Hussein to disarm.
    There's a reason why leaders around the world believe he ought to 
disarm. There's a reason why the Security Council of the United Nations 
voted 15-0 to say to Saddam, disarm--and that's because he's dangerous.
    Would you care to call on somebody from the Italian press?
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. In Italy, I already said it. I had the 
opportunity to say that we have always been the faithful ally country of 
United States; we are close friends of the United States, also in this 
case.
    I believe that the moment has arrived to find out where all the 
weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein said he had, where they 
ended up. We really fear that after the series of terrorist attacks, 
which culminated with the attacks on September 11th, there is the 
intention of the terrorists is to really come to a terrible disaster. 
And to do so, they have to avail themselves of the biological, chemical 
weapons that we know were available as Saddam Hussein.
    Therefore, on the basis of the United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 1441, Saddam Hussein has to reveal and account for

[[Page 134]]

the weapons that we know he has. So the decision on peace rests in his 
hands. We all want peace.
    And I'm here today to help my friend President Bush to convince 
everybody that this is in the interest of everybody. And if we are all 
united, the European Union, the United States, the Federation of Russia, 
everybody, all the other states under the United Nations, then Saddam 
Hussein will understand that he will have no other option but to reveal 
the arms and to destroy them.
    President Bush. Along those lines, let me make one clarification on 
my statement. I think that no matter how Mr. Saddam is dealt with, the 
goal of disarming Iraq still stays the same, regardless of who is in 
charge of the Government. And that's very important for the Iraqi people 
to know.
    And I also want to assure Silvio that should we require military 
action, shortly after our troops go in will go food and medicine and 
supplies to the Iraqi people. We will, of course, win militarily, if we 
have to. But we'll also want to make sure that we win the peace as well.
    Would you care to call on somebody in the Italian press?

Italy-U.S. Relations

    Q. Mr. Prime Minister, I just had a question. You expressed your 
sentiment to friendship for the United States, and loyalty. Now, will 
you be ready to commit Italy to go along with the United States should 
the United States put together a coalition of the willing, as the 
President has said?
    And to you, Mr. President, do you expect Mr. Berlusconi----
    Assistant Press Secretary Reed Dickens. Only one question.
    President Bush. I would have answered it, but they said no. 
[Laughter] But I don't even know the question. Go ahead.
    Prime Minister Berlusconi. We will never forget that we owe our 
freedom--our freedom--our wealth to the United States of America--and 
our democracy. And we also will never forget that there have been many 
American young lives that were lost and sacrifice themselves for us.
    So for us, the United States is not only our friend, but they are 
the guarantee of our democracy and our freedom. And I already had the 
opportunity to say this to President Bush: Every time I see the U.S. 
flag, I don't see the flag only representative of a country, but I see 
it as a symbol of democracy and of freedom.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thanks.

Note: The President spoke at 12:13 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. Except for his opening remarks, Prime Minister Berlusconi spoke 
in Italian, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter.