US, French Presidents Discuss War on TerrorismUS President George W. Bush on Tuesday met with French President Jacques Chirac in the Oval Office as he pursued a diplomatic offensive to rally support for the US-led anti-terrorism war.Speaking to reporters in the White House Rose Garden after the meeting, Bush said: "We've had a good discussion about our common efforts to fight terror. I thank the French people, the French government for their strong support." White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Bush and Chirac discussed cooperation in the war on terrorism in all its forms and military aspects of the campaign. They discussed the political aspects of a broad-based government in Afghanistan after the Taliban as well as the humanitarian needs of the Afghani people and the importance of getting food to the people of Afghanistan. "We recognize that our war against terror is more than just military action in Afghanistan, that we have an obligation to help feed the innocent people in Afghanistan, and that we've got to make sure that there is a post-Taliban government that reflects the values of both our countries," Bush said. The French president said he talked with Bush about the military operations, about French support for the anti-terrorism war in Afghanistan. They also "spent a considerable bit of time" discussing, amongst other things, the situation in the Middle East, Chirac added. |
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