For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 10, 2008

Fact Sheet: The United States and The European Union: Working Together to Advance Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

White House News

      US-EU Summit 2008

Today, President Bush reaffirmed his support for a strong Europe capable of being a strong partner with the United States in the advance of freedom and prosperity around the world. President Bush met with the leadership of the European Union (EU), Slovenian Prime Minister and European Council President Janez Jansa and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, at Brdo Castle in Slovenia to advance our efforts to jointly confront global challenges. Holding the U.S.-EU Summit in Slovenia, a country once behind the Iron Curtain and now a member of NATO and the EU, is a compelling example of the success of our common vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.

Advancing Transatlantic Partnership And Global Prosperity

The U.S.-European commercial relationship is the engine of the world economy. In their discussions today, President Bush and European Union leaders discussed how to remove barriers to increase trade and investment to grow our economies and help lift people out of poverty.

• The President and EU leaders noted their strong commitment to achieving a prompt, ambitious, and balanced outcome in the WTO Doha Development Agenda that creates new market access and economic opportunities that promote development and alleviate poverty. The United States and EU called on all WTO members to make meaningful contributions that are necessary to advance the negotiations, achieve a breakthrough on modalities in the next few weeks, and conclude an agreement as soon as possible.

• At the Summit, the President gained support for his strategy for addressing the increase in global food prices:
  • Provide assistance to target countries vulnerable to food price increases;
  • Assist countries capable of rapidly increasing staple food production; and
  • Advance trade liberalization and increase use of advanced agricultural technologies to increase the supply of food.

• The United States and the EU agreed to join and work together in efforts to save more lives, by working to train health workers, especially in Africa, and to treat those suffering from seven major neglected tropical diseases.

• The leaders reiterated their commitment to continue to work in the Major Economies Meetings process to support negotiations toward a climate change agreement by the end of 2009 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The President underscored the need for all major economies to develop national climate change plans and goals and to have them reflected in binding international commitments.

• Summit Leaders advanced significant measures to enhance European energy security by launching an initiative for the U.S. and EU to work together with Ukraine to promote transparency and efficiency in its energy sector and by endorsing the development of the Nabucco and Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline projects to diversify sources of natural gas to Europe.

• Building on the extensive work of the United States and the EU on African development, the Summit pledged U.S.-EU commitment to help realize Africa's development potential; combat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria; foster human rights, democracy, and good governance; and cultivate investment, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. President Bush's recent trip to Africa advanced this work, as have the recently adopted EU-Africa Strategy and Action Plan and G8 efforts

• The leaders renewed their commitment to deepening transatlantic economic integration through the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC). The TEC is making progress on addressing a range of regulatory issues that stand in the way of closer integration between Europe and the United States. The President underscored that the TEC must be a forum that delivers results and that to fulfill the TEC's promise, each side must follow through on the commitments it makes in the forum.

Global Security, Peace, Human Rights and Democracy

The strategic partnership between the United States and the EU is firmly anchored in common values and a determination to ensure global security, promote peace, protect human rights, and advance democracy.

• The President and his counterparts affirmed the dual track strategy with regard to Iran; agreed to fully and effectively implement UN Security Council Resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803 and other pertinent resolutions; affirmed that we are ready to supplement these sanctions with additional measures; and underscored continuing concern about Iran's regional policies, especially its continued support for terrorist organizations.

• The United States and Europe;
• Welcomed the election of Michel Sleiman as President of Lebanon and discussed ways to support Lebanon's legitimate government and its institutions, including through improved enforcement of existing UN Security Council Resolutions, which call for, among other things, the disarmament of illegal militias;
• Looked forward to the full implementation of the Doha agreement and a full resumption of the functioning of all democratic institutions of the state of Lebanon;
• Called on concerned parties, including Syria, to comply with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1701, 1757, and other relevant resolutions, including full cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon; and
• Rejected the use of violence as a means to achieve political ends.

• The leaders discussed how to advance peace in the Middle East and strengthen the Palestinian security sector and their own economic development initiatives. They agreed topursue complementary efforts to support the Parties' efforts to reach a political agreement by the end of 2008 especially those in the region, to follow through on and increase their pledges and deliver assistance to the Palestinian Authority.

• The leaders agreed that Serbia should have the opportunity to become a full partner in the European family of nations. The United States and Europe also agreed to support the stability and security of Kosovo and its regional integration and to assist Kosovo in its economic and institutional development.

• The U.S. and the EU agreed to work with Iraq to hasten its ability to join the WTO. The EU is giving substantial assistance to Iraq and is negotiating an EU-Iraq Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and the U.S. welcomes the EU's desire to expand its diplomatic presence in Iraq.

• The United States and Europe are enhancing strategic cooperation to assist Afghanistan, including expanding the size and scope of justice and police reform assistance and counter-narcotics efforts.

• The leaders discussed the aspirations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova and committed to help these countries achieve their reform goals as soon as possible. They expressed support for President Saakashvili's peace initiatives on Abkhazia and encouraged direct talks between the Georgian Government and the Abkhaz, while reaffirming a commitment to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

• The leaders welcomed China's recent decision to hold talks with the Dalai Lama's representatives and encouraged both parties to move forward with a substantive, constructive and results-oriented dialogue at an early date. The leaders also urged China to take substantive steps to address its poor human rights record.

• The United States and Europe committed to work together to accelerate the deployment of the UN/African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur

• The leaders called on the government of Zimbabwe immediately to cease the state-sponsored violence and intimidation against its people and ensure a free and fair presidential runoff election on June 27.

• The U.S. and the EU agreed to work together to further support democratic values and institutions in Latin America and called on the Cuban government to unconditionally release all political prisoners.

• The leaders agreed to expand cooperation to combat terrorism finance, including preventing misuses of charities and bulk cash smuggling to finance terrorism, and to increase information sharing.

• The U.S. and the EU called for geographical expansion of the G8 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (WMD).

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