Week Ending Friday, October 24, 2003 Statement on Congressional Passage Minister Koizumi is looking forward to have of the Supplemental Funding you over there. Actually, he is preparing a Request To Support the War on package for Iraqi reconstruction which in- Terror cludes $5 billion aid for the next 4 years and sending a couple of hundred Japanese self- October 17, 2003 defense forces over there for the humani- I applaud the House and Senate for pass- tarian operation. Do you think Japan fulfilled ing my supplemental funding request to sup- her responsibility with this package? port our mission and our troops deployed in The President. Yes. I’m very pleased. Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. These Prime Minister Koizumi and I are good funds will provide the resources necessary to friends. I admire him a lot, and I spoke to make Iraq more secure and support its tran- him about Japan helping in Iraq, just like sition to self-government, which is critical to Japan helped in Afghanistan. And he assured winning the war on terror. They will also con- me he would work hard to develop a good tinue our efforts to help build an Afghanistan package. It sounds like he has done so, and that is prosperous, democratic, and at peace, I’m grateful and thankful. and that contributes to regional stability. We’ve got great relations between America I commend the House for wisely rejecting and Japan. We will keep them that way. And a proposal to convert part of the reconstruc- part of good relations is we see problems, tion funds to loans. It is unfortunate that a and we work together, and see opportunities. closely divided Senate voted to partially sub- And a free Iraq is a—a peaceful Iraq is a stitute loans for grants. Loans are the wrong wonderful opportunity for Japan and the approach—they would slow the reconstruc- United States to work together to achieve be- tion of Iraq, delay the democratic process, cause a free and peaceful Iraq will change and send the wrong message to both the re- the world in a positive way. gion and the world. The loan provision must be removed in conference. North Korea/Japanese Abductees I thank Chairmen Stevens and Young for their efforts and urge the conference com- Mr. Kimura. Another subject, Mr. Presi- mittee to work to resolve their differences, dent, that the Prime Minister will bring up fully fund my request, and send me legisla- is the North Korean problem. tion I can sign quickly. The President. Yes, yes. Mr. Kimura. And he is working very hard NOTE: This item was not received in time for pub- to resolve the issue of abductees, Japanese. lication in the appropriate issue. The President. Yes. Mr. Kimura. What could your administra- Interview With Taro Kimura of tion do to help him realizing the reunification Japan’s FUJI TV of the abductees’ status? The President. October 14, 2003 Well, that’s a very inter- esting question. The primary objective of the The President. Glad you’re here. Ready five countries who are now engaged with to go. North Korea is to get rid of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. That’s our primary Japan’s Reconstruction Aid for Iraq objective, and that ought to be our focus. Mr. Kimura. Thank you very much, Mr. A major issue with the Prime Minister, of President, for this interview. I’m sure Prime course, is the abductees. I’ve always said that 1413 VerDate jul 14 2003 23:18 Oct 27, 2003 Jkt 203250 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P43OCT4.024 P43OCT4 1414 Oct. 18 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 the fact that North Korea kidnaped or ab- Japanese financial institute to intervene in ducted these people talks to the nature of the market. Is this the case? the administration in North Korea. And of The President. Well, I will talk to him course, we will send strong signals that we about, one, our Government’s strong dollar object to that kind of behavior, that that is policy. And I will remind him that our posi- not a civil behavior. tion when it comes to currency exchanges But the first objective is for all of us to is that the market ought to decide the relative work together for the sake of peace and secu- values of currencies based upon the fiscal rity, particularly in your part of the world, policy of each government, the monetary pol- to get rid of any nuclear weapons and/or am- icy of each government, the future economic bitions for nuclear weapons. picture of each country. And that’s what I Mr. Kimura. For example, do you think will remind him. This will not be the first it’s possible that your administration demand time that we have discussed dollar policy North Korea to include this abduction pro- and/or trade matters. gram in whatever the comprehensive pack- Mr. Kimura. Lastly, I remember you’ve age—— enjoyed yakitori when you were in Tokyo, The President. Well, I think it’s very im- the barbecued chicken. portant. I’ll talk to the Prime Minister about The President. Yes, I did. [Laughter] this, of course. I know this is a very sensitive Mr. Kimura. And I wonder whether you subject, and I’ve spoken out about this ter- will bear tasting sushi this time. I know you’re rible practice, a terrible part of history, that not really particularly in favor of the raw fish. the North Koreans abducted. But the first The President. Well, I’m a beef man. You thing we got to do is focus on our overall know I like good beef. Japan’s got some of objective, and that is to make sure that the the greatest beef in the world. And—but I’m peninsula is nuclear weapons-free. And that’s also, hopefully, a good enough guest not to in Japan’s interest, of course. And right now demand a particular menu from my host. The that’s where our focus is. Prime Minister and I have eaten a lot of Mr. Kimura. I understand—or I read Bob meals together. And I’m confident that he Woodward’s book. And you’ve said you will put together a good meal for both the loathe Kim Chong-il. Do you still feel that First Lady, Laura, and me. And I really am same way? looking forward to seeing him. He is—he is The President. When I know a leader a great friend. He is an interesting man. I starves his people, allows his people to starve, really enjoyed being around him. You know, and know there’s detention camps and it’s one of the—he came to my ranch. And he not a free society—it’s a very, closed totali- and I sat down apart from the house in a tarian society—he and I don’t agree, obvi- beautiful part of the ranch and had a very ously, on freedom and peace. And I hope long discussion just on a personal basis. And that Kim Chong-il realizes that when five na- it meant a lot to me. He’s a leader of a great tions speak, we’re very serious, and that it’s country and a great friend of the United in his country’s interest to get rid of nuclear States. And I’m grateful for our relationship. weapons and/or programs to develop nuclear Mr. Kimura. Thank you very much, Mr. weapons. Because the five countries that are President. now speaking in one voice are saying as clear- The President. Yes, sir, you’re welcome. ly as possible to Mr. Kim Chong-il, ‘‘You need to change for your good and for the NOTE: The interview was taped at 3:10 p.m. in good of the country.’’ the Library at the White House, and the transcript was released by the Office of the Press Secretary Monetary Policy on October 18. In his remarks, the President re- ferred to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Mr. Kimura. There is speculation in Japan; and Chairman Kim Chong-il of North Tokyo that you will speak to Mr. Koizumi Korea. A tape was not available for verification to let dollar-yen rate float and not let the of the content of this interview. VerDate jul 14 2003 23:18 Oct 27, 2003 Jkt 203250 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P43OCT4.024 P43OCT4 Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 / Oct. 18 1415 Interview With Antonio Baltazar V. as a good example of democracy in the re- Nebrida, Jr., of the Philippines’ NBN gion, in other words, that there be an inclu- TV–4 siveness and, of course, that the elections be October 14, 2003 carried off in a peaceful way. It will be a very important election for others to watch, The Philippines’ Role in the War on and watch the example of the Philippines’ Terror elections. And the people will make the right Mr. Nebrida. Mr. President, the Phil- decision. I know my friend is running again, ippines has taken a position behind just about and she’s got a strong agenda to run on. every initiative that the United States Gov- Filipino Americans ernment has taken against the global fight against terrorism. As a partner in this endeav- Mr. Nebrida. All right. Close historic links or, what do you see the Philippines doing between the United States and the Phil- further? ippines are seen in the very large and signifi- The President.