From President Bush's remarks on 6/25/03, East Room
Since the end of World War II, the United States has strongly
supported European unity as the best path to European peace and
prosperity.
On Wednesday, the U.S. and EU signed new agreements to increase
our legal cooperation in the war on terror, and to expedite the
extradition of terrorists. We will form joint investigative teams,
share information on suspect bank accounts, and expand the range of
offenses that qualify for extradition.
The U.S. and EU also took new steps to help stop the
proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, including
strengthening export controls on dangerous materials and active
interdiction to stop illicit trade in weapons of mass destruction.
Iran has pledged not to develop nuclear weapons, and the entire
international community must hold the regime to its commitments. The
United States and the EU are determined to make the world not only
safer, but also better.
The U.S. and EU will work together to help the people of Iraq
build a future of security, prosperity and freedom. We will work
together to confront global poverty, disease and oppression, and will
stand together for a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
President Bush urges Europe's leaders and those around the
world to take swift, decisive action against terror groups such as
Hamas by cutting off their funding and support as we have in the United
States.
The vital trade relationship between the U.S. and EU brings
growth and job creation to America, to all the nations of the EU, and
to the world. Today, we are launching negotiations on Open Skies, have
agreed to accelerate the commercial use of multilateral agreement to
ban market-distorting steel subsidies, and agreed on the importance of
making the upcoming World Trade Organization meeting a success.