Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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April 5, 2008

President Bush Praises Croatia's Embrace of Democracy
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1BC8581:A6F02AD83191E1600C170763B53E1DA22A201403E89ED254& Croatia, along with
Albania, invited to join NATO U.S. President George W. Bush is
welcoming two new members to NATO. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports Mr.
Bush hailed the transformation of the Balkans in a speech in a town
square in the Croatian capital, Zagreb.







President George W. Bush greets the crowd at Zagreb's St. Mark square,
Croatia, 05 Apr 2008Croatians filled St. Mark's square Saturday to
celebrate, standing in front of the great stone cathedral that has
watched over Zagreb for centuries.

President Bush told the crowd, "The great church in this square has
stood since the Middle Ages. Over the centuries it has seen long dark
winters of occupation and tyranny and war. But the spring is here at
last."

Fresh from the NATO summit that invited Croatia to join the alliance,
President Bush talked about how that country has left a troubled past
behind to become a free state.

"The Croatian people have overcome war and hardship to build peaceful
relations with your neighbors and to build a maturing democracy in one
of the most beautiful countries on the face of the earth," said Mr.
Bush.

Croatia was one of three Balkan countries deemed by NATO leaders to
meet the criteria for membership. Two - Croatia and Albania - are
beginning the admission process immediately. The third - Macedonia -
must wait until it settles a name dispute with its neighbor, Greece.







General view shows foreign leaders attending the summit of the NATO
Ukraine Commission at the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, 04 Apr
2008Leaders of all three countries were on hand in Zagreb for the
celebration. As they looked on, President Bush made a vow.  He said,
"Henceforth, should any danger threaten your people, America and the
NATO alliance will stand with you. And no one will be able to take
your freedom away."

He noted that Croatia, Albania and Macedonia have all deployed troops
to Afghanistan, and Croatian and Albanian forces have served in Iraq.
He said as countries that have experienced life under repression, they
are serving as an example to others.

"There are those who actually wonder if people were better off under
their old tyranny. You can tell them that freedom is the only real
path to prosperity, security and peace," said the U.S. president.







NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, left, and Russian
President Vladimir Putin in Bucharest, 04 Apr 2008From Croatia, Mr.
Bush heads to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi for a final
meeting with Vladimir Putin before he leaves the Russian presidency.

Their talks - at a Russian presidential retreat - are expected to
focus on U.S. plans to put a missile defense system in central Europe.

Russia is opposed to the idea, saying it could lead to a new arms
race. President Bush has tried to reassure Moscow, saying the system
is designed to counter a threat from rogue states in the Middle East,
such as Iran.







Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes US Defense Secretary Robert
Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Kremlin in
Moscow, 17 Mar 2008U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently
met with Russian leaders in Moscow and says the U.S. laid out ideas
the Russians found useful.  She said, "We hope that we can move beyond
that to an understanding that we will all have an interest in
cooperation on missile defense, but we will see. "

A senior White House official says President Bush has described the
session in Sochi as a meeting of "two old warhorses" - a reference to
a long working relationship that is nearing an end as both men prepare
to leave the presidency of their respective nations.




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