"They endured bitter tyranny. They struggled for independence. They earned their freedom through courage and perseverance and today they stand with us as full and equal partners in this great alliance," he said.
Posted on 03/29/2004 3:35:01 PM PST by TruthNtegrity
Bush presided Monday at a White House ceremony to greet the prime ministers of the new member nations along with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
With the addition of Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, NATO's membership grows from 19 countries to 26. The new members will take part in their first meeting Friday in Brussels. Three other nations - Albania, Croatia and Macedonia - hope to join.
NATO has agreed to include the Baltic states under its air defense shield, planning to enforce it by stationing four F-16 fighter planes in Lithuania.
The latest from Yahoo reads as follows:
President Bush welcomed seven former Soviet-dominated nations into NATO as "full and equal partners" on Monday and said the Western alliance was stronger because of their presence.
Under a bright sun on the White House South Lawn, Bush stood with the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Hundreds of people cheered. Some waved flags of the new member nations, whose addition expands the alliance to 26 countries.
A military honor guard carried the flags of the NATO countries.
Fifty-five years after NATO's birth, Bush recalled that the seven new members were "captives to an empire" when the alliance was formed.
"They endured bitter tyranny. They struggled for independence. They earned their freedom through courage and perseverance and today they stand with us as full and equal partners in this great alliance," he said.
WELCOME HOME, ERIC!!!!
What a wonderful treat after a long rough day!
Becki
Bush waves as he departs TSTC Airport in Waco, Texas with his dog Barney Monday, March 29, 2004. The President spent the weekend on his ranch in nearby Crawford, (He's walking from Marine1 that brought him from the ranch, toward AF1.) 
President George W. Bush walks up the steps of Air Force One holding his pet dog, Barney, in Waco, Texas, March 29, 2004. Bush spent the weekend at his central Texas ranch in Crawford and is returning to Washington.
President Bush walks in before welcoming the seven former Soviet Bloc nation to NATO 'S membership during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.
President George W. Bush (C) is applauded by new NATO member leaders as he arrives at the South Lawn of the White House for a March 29, 2004 ceremony marking the expansion of NATO's membership from 19 countries to 26. Representing the new member nations from left are Latvia's Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop, Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, Slovak Republic's Prime Minister Mikulus Dzurinda, Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxi-Coburg, Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
President George W. Bush (C stage) gathers on the South Lawn of the White House March 29, 2004 with the leaders of seven new NATO countries. The seven eastern European allies joined NATO in a triumphant ceremony Monday but the expansion could slow deployments and has angered Russia by shifting the 55-year-old transatlantic alliance to its borders. The leaders are (L-R) Latvia's Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop, Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, The Slovak Republic's Prime Minister Mikulus Dzurinda, Romania's Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts, and NATO secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
President Bush (L) shakes hands with Romania's Prime Minister Adrian Nastase as Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts and NATO (news - web sites) secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer look on at a ceremony welcoming seven new nations to the NATO alliance, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington March 29, 2004. The seven eastern European allies joined NATO in a triumphant ceremony Monday but the expansion could slow deployments and has angered Russia by shifting the 55-year-old transatlantic alliance to its borders.
Speaking to the assembled audience.
President Bush shakes hands with Romania's Prime Minister Adrian Nastase at the end of a ceremony welcoming Romania and six other former Soviet-bloc countries to NATO.
For you Rummy Chicks:
U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (R) listens to former President Bill Clinton administration National Security Advisor Sandy Berger on the south lawn of the White House, March 29, 2004, following a ceremony where U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed seven new NATO alliance nations.
U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (R) walks arm-in-arm with Clinton administration National Security Advisor Sandy Berger on the south lawn of the White House March 29, 2004, following a ceremony where U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed seven new NATO alliance nations.
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