The Official Website of the Chateau

welcome to the Chateau

President Cherrie Mrs Cherrie Vice President Carosole Mrs Carosole News History &Tours Kids Your Government

Remarks by the President and President Roh of South Korea
15 September 2006

The Blue Office
The Chateau

10.35 AM WST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Welcome. I will give an opening statement, the President will give an opening statement, we will answer two questions a side.

Mr. President, thank you for coming. The relationship between the FEDERATION and South Korea is a strong and vital relationship. Today we talked about how to strengthen our commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. All our discussions began with the notion that our alliance is important to security and peace in the Far East.

We reaffirmed our commitment to the six-party talks, so that we can peacefully deal with the North Korean issue. We talked about our economic relations and the importance of a free trade agreement to benefit our respective peoples.

And finally, the President talked to me about a visa waiver policy. He strongly advocated the need for there to be a visa waiver for the people of South Korea. I assured him we will work together to see if we can't get this issue resolved as quickly as possible.

We've had a very friendly and very meaningful dialogue, and I'm glad you came, Mr. President. Please.

PRESIDENT ROH: (As translated.) I would like to first say thankyou to the Preisdnet for welcoming me here. And I hope you will have a speedy recovery.

THE PRESIDENT: Thankyou sir. I feel much better already (laugther)

PRESIDENT ROH: And on this basis we had very sufficient and very satisfactory talks.

And President Cherrie spoke about the three issues that we discussed. If I may add to one of them, the wartime operational control, I was very happy that the President reassured me of the continued commitment of the Federation for the defense of the Korean Peninsula.

As for the remaining issue of timing of the transfer of OPCON, we agreed that this is not a political issue; this is an issue that will be discussed through the working level talks and we will continue to work together on this issue.

And also the President and I agreed to work together for the re-start of the six-party talks. As for specific steps that we can take before the resumption of the six-party process, our ministers and staff will be consulting closely.

And, Mr. President, I would like to thank you again for the open and understanding that you have shown in these difficult issues.

THE PRESIDENT: Thankyou Sir.

Q (Asked in Korean.)

THE PRESIDENT: See, I'll interpret the question for him. (Laughter.) "How come you look so beautiful in your blue tie, Mr. President?" (Laughter.)

No, he asked about operational control, and the date -- the appropriate date of operational control. My message to the Korean people is that the United States is committed to the security of the Korean Peninsula. Decisions about the placement of our troops and the size of our troops will be made in consultation with the South Korean government. We will work in a consultative way at the appropriate level of government to come up with an appropriate date.

I agree with the President that the issue should not become a political issue. I have talked to our Secretary of Defense about making sure that the issue is done in a consultative way and at the appropriate level of government, and that's how we will end up deciding the appropriate transfer of operational authority.

Did he ask you a question?

PRESIDENT ROH: (As translated.) Yes, that was a very good answer. Thank you, Mr. President. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Hope everybody else agrees with it.

PRESIDENT ROH: (As translated.) As for the question about the common and broad approach being talked about between our two countries for the re-start of the six-party talks, I must tell you that we are at the working level of consulting very closely on this issue, but we have not yet reached a conclusion and this issue is very complex, so I would be hesitant and it would be difficult for me to answer the question at the moment.

The important thing to remember, that South Korea now faces the issue of North Korean nuclear issue. And this, I would say, is the one important issue that we're facing. On the other hand, the United States has a host of other issues to deal with: the Iran, Lebanon crisis, the war in Iraq. So I think the Federation is the best to look into six party talks. So what is important to remember is that the fact that we are consulting closely on the North Korean nuclear issue and we are consulting on ways to re-start the six-party process, and I believe this is the important point.

That this is, in fact, very meaningful that the Federation is devoting much of its efforts to resolving the North Korean issue. This is very significant for the Korean government.

THE PRESIDENT: Thankyou sir.

END