Posted on 10/13/2008 10:17:08 PM PDT by snugs
Today the President met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the White House, the First lady also accompanied him to the National Gallery of Art in Washington and in the the Prime Minister attended a dinner at the White House. .
Pray for President Bush -- Day 2951 & Pray for McCain/Palin - Day - 45
Enjoy Sanity Island
QUOTE OF THE DAY
President Bush Participates in Joint Statement with Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy Rose Garden
PRESIDENT BUSH: Good morning. Prime Minister Berlusconi and I just had a very good discussion. That's exactly the kind of meeting that you would expect when good friends get together.
Mr. Prime Minister, I appreciate your leadership. I want to thank you for your gracious words earlier today. I want to thank you for giving the American people the honor of celebrating Columbus Day with the leader of Italy.
For more than 60 years, the United States and Italy have worked together to strengthen transatlantic alliances and to help freedom expand across Europe. Today we're addressing global challenges with determination and vision and with confidence. America and Italy are working to stabilize global financial markets. People all over the world are understandably concerned about the global financial crisis and about how it will affect their families and their businesses.
I appreciate Italy's participation in the meeting of the G7 and G20 finance ministers over the weekend. Both the G7 and G20 issued important statements committing to work together to help resolve the crisis. I welcome the bold and specific follow-up actions by European nations to pursue the G7 action plan. And the United States is also acting, and we will continue to implement measures consistent with the G7 action plan to help banks gain access to capital, to strengthen the financial system, and to unfreeze credit markets and restore confidence in our financial system.
These are tough times for our economies. Yet we can be confident that we can work our way through these challenges. And America will continue to work closely with the other nations to coordinate our response to this global financial crisis.
America and Italy are working with other nations to fight terror and maintain stability and secure their democratic future. More than 8,300 Italian troops are deployed in regions of conflict around the world. They're helping to fight extremism and to defend liberty and give more people the hope of a better future. About 2,100 Italian troops are supporting the NATO mission in Afghanistan. Italy leads Regional Command West, as well as a provincial reconstruction team.
I appreciate the Prime Minister's willingness to modify restrictions on where Italian forces can operate in Afghanistan. Italy has deployed carabinieri to support the NATO training mission in Iraq. They're doing a fine job. These are highly professional, highly skilled folks that are helping the Iraqi people.
In Lebanon, Italy is the single largest contributor to the United Nations peacekeeping mission. We discussed the need for Syria to respect Lebanon's sovereignty, to cease its support for terror, and to open full diplomatic relations with Lebanon's elected government.
Italy has deployed more than 2,300 troops to maintain stability in the Balkans. Our two nations support an independent and democratic Kosovo, and we're working to ensure that the new European Union mission deploys throughout that country. We agree that all Balkan nations should be invited to join the EU, and other transatlantic institutions as they qualify for membership.
We discussed Iran. We agreed that Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. We discussed the importance of full implementation of United Nation's sanctions on the regime in Tehran.
America and Italy are working closely to end the conflict in Georgia. We firmly support Georgia's democracy and sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States and the EU agree that the territory of Georgia includes the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We're working to meet the humanitarian needs of the Georgian people and help displaced families return to their homes.
To earn the respect of the international community, Russia must show respect for the sovereignty and territory of its neighborhoods. Russia must accept the responsibilities and obligations of international leadership.
Mr. Prime Minister, Laura and I are looking forward to our dinner with you tonight. We look forward to celebrating the enormous contributions that the sons and daughters of Italy have made in America. And we look forward to honoring the strong alliance that binds our two nations together. Welcome.
PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI: (As translated.) Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for this extraordinary invitation. My presence in Washington today is also the tribute of a friendship, personal friendship which binds me to President Bush, as well as the friendship between our two peoples.
PHOTOS OF THE DAY
President George W. Bush is embraced by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as he honors the Italian leader Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, during an official welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. White House photo by Grant Miller
President George W. Bush and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi raise their glasses in a toast Monday evening, Oct. 13, 2008, during a State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Berlusconi's visit to the White House. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
Hi snugs
Hello
I’m the only one still awake ... ???
;)
Thank you, snugs .. so much for your hard
work in the middle of the night. Hugs.
I’ve seen some of the pics, and they’re
wonderful ...
Yay ... I’m not the only one .. LOL.
Sorry it is so late but I had computer keyboard trouble as well as my friend came round just as I was about to start the dose preparation. So I got so far and then had a sleep before getting up early and posting the dose. I will get a new keyboard today and check in later for any pings
President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush welcome Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at a welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, October 13, 2008
President Bush welcomes Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
President Bush embraces Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as they participate in a South Lawn arrival ceremony at the White House in Washington
For a moment there I felt I was in the twilight zone-lol
President Bush, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, share a laugh during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
,img src=http://sanityisland.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=36537&g2_serialNumber=1>
President Bush, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, talk during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
President George W. Bush and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi during an official arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, October 13, 2008
President Bush participates in a South Lawn arrival ceremony for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, left, at the White House in Washington
Hi and thanks for the ping
A dose for the night owls! (or early birds across the pond)
Snugs, you’re a trooper, I hope you know how much your hard work and dedication are appreciated.
Love,
O2
President George W. Bush (L) and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi walk near the crowd during an official arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, October 13, 2008
President Bush, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, review the troops during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008
Poor snugs!
Sorry to hear about your keyboard troubles. not fun!
God bless you snugs & thanks as always for the dose!
President Bush, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, return to the stage during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008
President George W. Bush (R) and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi watch the Old Guard as it marches past during a welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, October 13, 2008
President Bush, right, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, center, and first lady Laura Bush wave from the balcony during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
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