For Immediate Release
June 17, 2003

Global Message

Key Points:

From the President’s remarks on June 15, 2003, in Kennebunkport, Me.

• There are people who want peace to move forward, and there are people who don’t. For those who do, we must combine our efforts to prevent groups like Hamas from sabotaging peace.
• Achieving peace will be tough and President Bush is determined to continue to lend the weight of the U.S. government to advance the peace.
• The U.S. is in touch with the Israeli government, as well as with the Palestinian Authority. The message is clear: Prime Minister Abbas wants peace; Prime Minister Sharon wants peace; America wants peace; The European Union wants peace. But clearly, there are killers who don’t.
• The United States is in the process of helping the Palestinians implement a strategy which was described to us in Aqaba to reconstitute a Palestinian Authority security force to make sure the terrorists, the haters of peace, those who can’t stand freedom, do not have their way in the Middle East.
• President Bush believes that the agents of peace, who care about a decent future for the suffering Palestinian people and those who live in Israel, will prevail.

US Soccer Community Answers Call to Aid Children in Iraq

This initiative includes:

• More than 60,000 soccer balls from Major League Soccer for Iraqi children.
• A fund established by the U.S. Soccer Foundation so that Americans can contribute to the purchase of basic soccer equipment for soccer and youth clubs and schools in Iraq.
• A means to accept contributions from individuals and groups so American young people have an opportunity to help youth in Iraq.
• Information on the fund will be available at www.ussoccerfoundation.org.

Last week, President Bush shared a greeting with soccer fans recognizing the efforts of the U.S. soccer community:

"I want to thank America's soccer community for its generosity and leadership, for giving our children a way to offer hope and decency to the children of Iraq, and for helping to show the people of Iraq the true heart of America.

"Every American child can find a way to participate in this or another effort to help Iraqi youth. Share money you have saved. Go out and earn a dollar, or collect from your community.

Through your generosity, the children of Iraq will see the love and compassion of America knows no age, ethnic, or geographic limit."