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Ärende: Press Release (061031) for Tue, 2006 Oct 31
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Bush Discusses Sudan with Special Envoy and Makes Remarks on North Korea
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 31, 2006

Bush Discusses Sudan with Special Envoy and Makes Remarks on North Korea
The Oval Office

President's Remarks view

˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Africa ˙˙˙˙˙

9:26 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: I just had a meeting with the presidential Special Envoy to
Sudan, Andrew Natsios. I asked Andrew to serve our country and really serve
the cause of humanity by taking on this important assignment. He's working
very closely with Secretary Rice. He brought -- he was just there for 10
days, he came back with a grim report about the human condition of a lot of
people who suffer. And, you know, Andrew -- the good thing about Andrew is
-- one thing, he puts a report out there, but he also understands we've got
to do something about it.

And the United States is going to work with the international community to
come up with a single plan on how to address this issue and save lives. And
Andrew is going to work with other partners in peace, and they'll take that
plan to the current government of Sudan.

One element of the plan is something that I strongly supported all along,
and that there needs to be a credible and effective international force to
go into Darfur to save lives, to make it clear that the international
community respects human life, and the international community will work in
concert to save human life.

Andrew, I want to thank you for taking on this assignment. The situation in
Darfur is on our minds. The people who have suffered there need to know
that the United States will work with others to help solve the problem. And
the government of Sudan must understand that we're serious -- when you
deliver a message to them, on behalf of our government, that we're earnest
and serious about their necessity to step up and work with the
international community. So thank you, Andrew, for that.

Today, as well, we have news out of the Far East. There is an agreement to
restart the six-party talks concerning North Korea. I'm pleased, and I want
to thank the Chinese for encouraging the meeting that got the agreement to
get the six-party talks restarted. I've always felt like it is important
for the United States to be at the table with other partners when it comes
time to addressing this important issue.

And so I thank not only the Chinese, but the South Koreans, the Japanese,
and the Russians for agreeing to come back to the table with North Korea.
We'll be sending teams to the region to work with our partners to make sure
that the current United Nations Security Council resolution is enforced,
but also to make sure that the talks are effective; that we achieve the
results we want, which is a North Korea that abandons their nuclear weapons
programs, and her nuclear weapons, in a verifiable fashion in return for a
better way forward for her people.

And so I'm very pleased with the progress being made in the Far East.
Obviously, we've still got a lot of work to do. But I want to thank the
Secretary for her good work when she went out to the region, and assure the
American people we'll continue to work to resolve this in a peaceful way.

Thank you.

END 9:30 A.M. EST

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