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September 2007
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 7, 2007
President Bush Meets with Southeast Asian Leaders
InterContinental Sydney
Sydney, Australia
Fact Sheet: United States Cooperation with Southeast Asia
APEC 2007
1:49 P.M. (Local)
PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for inviting me to join the ASEAN group. ASEAN represents our fourth largest trading partner. In other words, this is a group of friends that represent more than just social acquaintances, you represent commerce and trade and prosperity. And I want to thank you very much for giving me a chance to come and talk to you about our common interests and common goals.
I invited the ASEAN leaders to Texas at their convenience. I'm looking
forward to hosting you down there. I'm looking forward to continuing our
constructive conversation on -- whether it be democracy, or fighting
terror, or expanding trade, or avian flu, or climate change.
I also am pleased to announce that we'll be naming an ambassador to ASEAN, so that we can make sure that the ties we've established over the past years remain firmly entrenched.
So I appreciate your hospitality. It's good to be amongst friends. I enjoyed our candid conversation and I thank you for your leadership in this important part of the world.
Thank you all.