For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 31, 2002

President Bush Meets with German Chancellor Schroeder
Remarks by the President and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Photo Opportunity
The Rose Garden

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6:10 P.M. EST

THE  PRESIDENT:   Well,  we've  had  a  substantial discussion with my friend,  the  Chancellor  of  Germany, Gerhard Schroeder.  I appreciate him coming  over  to  say  hello  again.  We spent a great deal of time talking about  our mutual desire to rid the war of terror.  And I'm so pleased with Germany's cooperation.  They've provided troops in Afghanistan, troops that have  performed  really  well,  according  to  our  military, and I want to congratulate you for that.

I  also  thanked  the  Chancellor for hosting the Bonn convention, and who's  made a substantial stride toward an Afghanistan that will be able to survive  after we have ridded it of the Taliban.  I appreciate so very much the  Chancellor's willingness to help Afghanistan help herself, in terms of training a police force. I  told  him  we're in the process of setting up a plan to help Afghanistan develop her own military.  So we're linked up well in our mutual desires to leave the world more peaceful.

So,  Mr.  Chancellor,  I'm  so honored you're here.  I want to welcome you.

THE  CHANCELLOR:   Well,  ladies  and gentlemen, I can only absolutely confirm  what  his  Excellency,  the President, has just said regarding our discussions,   particularly  focusing,  obviously,  on  the  fight  against terrorism;  but  also  about the fight that has happened in Afghanistan and that the support that has been rendered by us, too.

We,  as  you  all know, are very committed to the participation in the peace  corps  in  Afghanistan,  under  the  umbrella of the United Nations. Obviously,  and  as  the  President  has  just  pointed  out,  we  are very interested   in   committing  ourselves  to  training  police  forces,  law enforcement  forces  within  Afghanistan,  because  we  find  it  crucially important that such intra-Afghanistan proper homegrown police forces can be built  up in the process.  And in the more long-term, obviously, a military structure will be needed here, too.

I,   obviously,   wouldn't  like  to  forget  the  fact  that  I  have congratulated  the  President  on the economic performance that the country has  obviously  been  able  to  show.   We do see some positive signs here; things  are  being  fueled  again, which obviously is not just positive and good for the U.S. American economy, but also for the global economy, too.

I'm  very  pleased,  indeed, that obviously there are now some hopeful signs  here  because, obviously, as soon as the economy runs smoothly again here  that  is going to be good for the global economy and, therefore, good for Europe and certainly for Germany, too.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Gerhard.

END                 6:15 P.M. EST

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