Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 / May 7 867 And I’m confident that you’ll look back and bers of my team. And I thought it would be say, ‘‘Job well done.’’ good for all of us to hear what it was like. Congratulations to you all. May God bless It was very interesting. She talked about— you, the class of 2006, and may God bless you know, her dad was a pastor, and she the United States of America. talked about the different pioneer clubs and the schools. It also gave me a chance to get NOTE: The President spoke at 10:10 a.m. in the Boone Picket Stadium. In his remarks, he referred a glimpse into her soul. As I said in the Oval to David J. Schmidly, president, Oklahoma State Office yesterday, there’s something really re- University; Gov. Brad Henry of Oklahoma; and freshing, to work with somebody who under- Arleen James, mother of 2d Lt. Luke S. James, stands firsthand what it means to be free. USA, who was killed in Iraq on January 27, 2004. And certainly Angela Merkel has gone from a society which was repressive to a society which is open and free. So I wanted to hear Interview With Sabine Christiansen the history, her history, and I also wanted of ARD German Television to get a better feel for what she’s like and May 4, 2006 why she thinks the way she thinks. President’s Upcoming Visit to Germany Ms. Christiansen. Thank you very much, Germany-U.S. Relations Mr. President, for joining us. We feel very Ms. Christiansen. That sounds more like honored by this. Mrs. Merkel invited you to a real transatlantic friendship than a partner- Germany, as we heard, this summer, just be- ship—well, with difficulties we had before. fore the G–8 summit. And we feel very hon- The President. Well, listen, first of all I ored in Germany that you would come and had a good relationship with Chancellor visit us. And as I heard, you’re going to visit Schroeder. The problem was, of course, that for the first time the former GDR. Are you there was a disagreement over a very difficult looking forward to that? decision I had to make, and that was Iraq. The President. Yes, I am. It was very kind I fully understand why a government or of Chancellor Merkel—who I call Angela, by a people would be, you know, I guess, dis- the way—to invite me to her residence. It’s appointed in me in a way, and not understand a gesture of friendship that I appreciate. And why somebody would commit troops to Laura and I are looking forward to it. And achieve an objective. And I like to remind it will give me a chance to continue our dia- people that September the 11th, for us, was log on important issues. I’ll get to know her a change in our history, and it certainly a little better, and she’ll know me better. It changed the way I thought. And for others, will make the relationship be stronger over it was just a moment in passing. So there time. So I’m looking forward to it, and I really was a disagreement. appreciate it. On the other hand, U.S.-German relations German Chancellor Merkel were always important, and now we have a Ms. Christiansen. Your father helped to chance to turn a new chapter in our relation- make German reunification possible. And ship, strengthen that alliance, strengthen that Chancellor Merkel told me that you’ve relationship, and work on matters that will shown a lot of interest in her life, in her make this world a better place. former life in the former GDR. What was So I’m thrilled with my relationship with the point of interest for you? Chancellor Merkel. She’s a really interesting The President. Well, last night we were person. She is—first of all, I found her to sitting around in the private dining room up- be confident, not overconfident, but con- stairs here, and I thought it would be inter- fident in her beliefs, and that’s very impor- esting for her to describe what it was like tant—for me, at least—to be dealing with to grow up in a Communist world. Laura and someone who has got strength of character I certainly don’t know what that’s like, nor and confident in her capacity to work to make did Condi Rice or Steve Hadley, the mem- things better. VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:50 May 16, 2006 Jkt 208250 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P19MYT4.012 P19MYT4 868 May 7 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 Iran Diplomatic Negotiations With Iran Ms. Christiansen. Now there is Iran on Ms. Christiansen. If this doesn’t work the agenda, and there you seem to be a team with the U.N., you trying to find wide coali- that plays together, in that. Are you confident tion that is going against Iran—— after your meeting with Mrs. Merkel that the The President. Expand the coalition. Europeans and others will support a resolu- Ms. Christiansen. Exactly. Exactly. tion that might even open the door to sanc- The President. And they’re not mutually tions? exclusive. And first of all, I think we ought to assume it can work in the U.N. We want The President. Look, first of all, the most it to work in the U.N. Therefore, the strategy important thing in achieving a diplomatic so- will be to see to it that it does work in the lution—and I want the German people to U.N. And that’s why—you know, I talked to understand—I want this issue to be solved Putin, President Putin the other day, right diplomatically, and I think it can be solved before Angela came. And she talked to Presi- diplomatically. And that the first objective of dent Putin in Siberia, as you know. And a trying to get different countries to come to- lot of our conversations obviously revolve gether in a diplomatic front is to agree that around Iran, since this is the most dangerous Iran—in this case, Iran—should not have a threat to peace right now. weapon. And we’ve agreed—Germany, Ms. Christiansen. And sanctions? France, the United States, certainly agree The President. Possibility—absolutely. with that. But so does Russia; so does China. Ms. Christiansen. But regarding Russia And that’s a really important part of putting and China? That will be difficult—— together a coalition of people saying with a The President. No. It may seem difficult universal voice, or unified voice, ‘‘no’’ to Iran. at this point in time, but there’s time. As I Ms. Christiansen. Okay. At the—— explained, again, to people in our country, we’re at the beginning of the diplomatic The President. Well, that’s right. process, not the end of the diplomatic proc- Secondly, we’re working with our allies ess. I know—we live in a world where every- to—now that the Iranians, by the way, have thing has to be solved instantly. I wish prob- basically said, ‘‘We don’t care,’’ what next? lems could be solved instantly, but that’s not And ‘‘what next’’ is to go to the U.N. Security how the world works, particularly when Council. And that’s what we’re working on you’re dealing with a nontransparent regime. now. And we’re working on the language of See, they have an advantage—‘‘they’’ being the resolutions and the consequences. And the Iranians. They don’t have a press, like as I told the press yesterday, it’s best not to the German press and the United States be describing the negotiations amongst our- press, that is constantly reporting. They don’t selves on TV—simply because the Iranians have democracies that are holding leaders to will be listening to everything we say. account. They’re nontransparent. So there- But the point is, is that we want a unified fore, their negotiating position is much front. Iran must hear that the free world is stronger than ours in many ways. unified in saying, ‘‘No weapon, no knowledge So we must double our efforts, constantly of how to build a weapon, no capacity to talking to each other, reminding each other make a weapon.’’ It’s almost a matter of will about the need to stay unified, and that’s at this point in time. In other words, they’re what Angela and I spent a lot of time talking watching to see whether or not our coalition about yesterday. will crack, whether or not they can create U.S. Role in Diplomatic Negotiations different factions within our coalition. With Iran And as I’ve described to people here in Ms. Christiansen. Why isn’t Washington this country, is that we must not crack. If talking directly to the Iranians? we want to solve this diplomatically, there The President. Well, because it’s much must be a common front with a common better to have a united front. In other words, strategy to achieve the objective. we will achieve this diplomatically. If there’s VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:50 May 16, 2006 Jkt 208250 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P19MYT4.012 P19MYT4 Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 / May 7 869 more than one country involved—we are say to the many Europeans who feel the Iraq very much involved.