The President's news conference with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy in Rome, Italy

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, June 14, 2004

If anyone were to think that it would be advisable to withdraw troops from Iraq, then we would have to do the same from all the other countries in which we have our troops. And we think that this is actually the opposite of what should be done in order to secure peace in these countries, to make sure that they experience no civil wars and that they prosper until they become established democracies.

So thank you for your visit, Mr. President, and thank you very much for everything that the United States will continue to do to spread democracy throughout the world.

With our press offices, we actually established that there will be two questions addressed to the U.S. President and two to the Italian President. So I open the floor for questions. The Americans first.

President's Visit to Italy and the Vatican/ Iraqi Transition

Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, you got strong statement of support just now from the Prime Minister. This country has troops in Iraq with the United States troops, and yet, there were many street demonstrations yesterday. There were concerns expressed by the Pope about the U.S. mission. Do you think that your trip to Europe is mending fences or stirring the pot?

And to the Prime Minister, do you anticipate that the troops that you have in Iraq will remain at the same levels for the next coming months? Or will there be more or less?

President Bush. I think--first of all, democracy is a beautiful thing, and I am pleased to be in a country where people are allowed to express their opinion.

I believe the world understands the importance of a free Iraq emerging in the Middle East. There may have been differences of opinion about Saddam Hussein and the enforcement of a U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441. Now the world understands the importance of working with the Iraqis to encourage the development of a free society.

And that's why it is important for me to remind people that there will be a transfer of full sovereignty to an Iraqi government and that the Iraqi people will be making the decisions as to how to proceed forward. And we are there to help them. People in Europe have heard the comments of Prime Minister Alawi and the Foreign Minister, both of whom--who have asked for help in making Iraq secure enough to get to free elections, and we're there to help them do that. And we're there to help them reconstruct their country.

And I sense a spirit of unity in terms of working with the new Iraqi government. That's why we're working closely with nations to get a United Nations Security Council resolution that confirms that which I just said. And I am confident we will get one soon, and I want to thank the Prime Minister for working toward that end.

But one--on the Holy Father. First of all, I had a great visit yesterday. I was honored to be in his presence again. This was my third meeting with His Holiness. And it was such an honor to be in the presence of a strong, godly man. And he and I share concerns about treating people with human dignity.