Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Konstandinos Karamanlis of Greece,
May 20, 2005

President Bush. Thank you all for coming. It’s my pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister back. It’s good to see you, sir.

America and Greece have got a strategic partnership. That’s important. It’s important for our respective peoples, and it’s important we work together to spread freedom and peace.

I want to welcome you here. Last time you were here, we were talking about the Olympics. I told the Prime Minister I was confident that the Government would make sure the Olympics were secure. I was so confident I sent my family. And not only did you keep your word, my parents and my—some of my relatives had a fabulous time in a spectacular country.

I look forward to visiting with you on a variety of subjects, the freedom agenda, freedom in the greater Middle East, the Balkans. I look forward to talking to you about how best we can work together to continue to spread liberty. So I’m proud you’re here, and welcome to the United States.

Prime Minister Karamanlis. Well, it’s my second visit with President Bush within almost a year. And I’m happy to say that this reflects the excellent bilateral relations we have and, of course, our determination to further our partnership to promote the areas of mutual interest, the common goals we have. And I think that it’s going to be the outcome of this meeting as well to keep working closely in matters which are very important to both of us in both countries.

President Bush. Good man. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 1:14 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.