NATO Aspirants in Riga

Video Greeting of the U.S. President George W. Bush
to NATO Aspirants' Meeting

I am honored to send greetings to the leaders of the Vilnius Ten group of nations aspiring to join the NATO Alliance. I want to thank Prime Minister Berzins and President Vike Freiberga for hosting this important event in the great city of Riga. I am also pleased that Senator Lott and some of his colleagues were able to visit with you today. The U.S. Senate has a critical role to play in ratifying any expansion of NATO, and I appreciate my friend Senator Lott's leadership on these vital issues.

Our nations share a common vision of a new Europe, where free European states are united with each other and with the United States through cooperation, partnership, and alliance. We seek a new Europe that has buried its historic tensions and is prepared to meet global challenges beyond Europe's borders. America will continue to work arm-in-arm with Europe on fulfilling this vision.

At the Prague Summit later this year, we can take a major step by enlarging NATO to include all of Europe's democracies that are ready to share in NATO's responsibilities.

Since you first met in Vilnius over two years ago, your countries have made real progress on the essential reforms necessary for NATO membership. Work continues, as it must, to prepare your nations to make the greatest possible contributions to the new Europe we are building.

Today, our nations face another historic challenge: to defeat the forces of global terror. The attacks of September the 11th took place in the United States, but their target was freedom itself. All of Europe, and freedom loving nations everywhere, are threatened by these forces of chaos and hatred.

NATO has risen to the challenge, declaring that an attack on one of its members is an attack on all, and NATO nations have made valuable contributions to the war on terror, in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

NATO must prepare itself to fight and defeat terror, and the other threats to freedom that we face together. And new members will help improve NATO's capabilities.

The Prague summit will mark the beginning of a new era in Europe and in trans-Atlantic relations, defined by greater security and greater prosperity, and greater freedom. We will see the great Alliance of liberty grow and prepare to fulfill its old mission in a new era. And I am determined to succeed, and determined that our children will record this year as a momentous turning point in their history.

I wish you success at your meeting. I have met most of you and I look forward to again seeing my good friend Aleksander in a few weeks, here in Washington. We have a great opportunity ahead of us. The hopes and prayers of the American people are with you. Thank you.