0512 briefing article

The White House

For Immediate Release
May 12, 2008

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

1:15 P.M. EDT

MS. PERINO: Hello. A couple of announcements. First of all, President Bush called Russian President Medvedev today to congratulate him on his inauguration. The two leaders underscored the importance of the U.S.-Russia relationship, and they look forward to working together, with the recent Sochi agreement being used as a basis for future cooperation. They discussed briefly the recent 123 Agreement regarding nuclear energy that was signed last week in Moscow. And President Bush raised his concerns about the situation in Georgia, and hope that all sides were working to reduce tensions. The two Presidents said they look forward to seeing each other at the G8 in Japan.

Also the President called Prime Minister Putin to wish him well in his new post. Both President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin congratulated the President on Jenna's wedding, and wished the new couple and the whole Bush family well. And President Bush certainly appreciated those comments.

Also today, the President extends his condolences to those injured and to the families of the victims of today's earthquake in China. He said he was particularly saddened by the number of students and children affected by this tragedy, and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the Chinese, especially those directly affected. He also said that the United States stands ready to help in any way possible.

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Q: Dana, on China, you said the United States stands ready to help in any way we can. Have we heard from the Chinese? Have we reached out to them? And what might we able to offer?

MS. PERINO: We're certainly in touch with them, and I think right now the Chinese are gathering information, assessing the damage, seeing what they may or may not need. We don't have a request for help right now. What we can do as a country is offer our support and our thoughts and our prayers. And in the meantime, we'll continue to see if there is anything that we can do to help them. I think that we have a good relationship with the Chinese, and the times of need like this we can come together and help each other.

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Q: Dana, on my first question -- and there's a second question -- yesterday's Washington Post linked a North Korean businessman and mainland China interests to the Syrian construction site that was bombed by Israel a few months back because Israel announced it to be a nuclear weapons plant. And my question: What does the White House believe it means to the safety of the world to have these three repressive nations joining forces on a project that surely could have been nuclear?

MS. PERINO: I'm not familiar with it, Les. I'll have to get back to you.

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END

1:37 P.M. EDT