President Bush Visits Germany & Russia

This is the weekend for the big G-8 Summit of the world's industrial nations (well, G-7 industrial nations and Russia, who is the host). Anyone who wants to follow the trip can do so in great detail from the White House web site. But I thought I would share with you some photographic highlights along with excerpts of important statements from the issues discussed.



It's always a thrill for White House visitors lucky enough to be invited to stand on the White House lawn and wave goodbye as the President departs on Marine One.

Here, President George W. Bush and Laura Bush board Marine One en route to Germany and Russia on the South Lawn Wednesday, July 12, 2006. President Bush will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany and attend the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt.


President George W. Bush and Laura Bush wave from Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base en route to Germany and Russia Wednesday, July 12, 2006. President Bush will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany and attend the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. White House photo by Eric Draper



Mrs. Laura Bush is seated between Stralsund Mayor Harald Lastovka and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the welcoming ceremony Thursday, July 13, 2006, in honor of the visit by President George W. Bush and Laura Bush to Stralsund, Germany. White House photo by Eric Draper


President George W. Bush and Laura Bush stand with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pastor Peter Neumann in St. Nikolai Church in Stralsund, Germany, Thursday, July 13, 2006. White House photo by Paul Morse

Excerpts from Opening Statements (White House transcript):

CHANCELLOR MERKEL: ....We also addressed the very disturbing situation in the Middle East, and it fills us with concern and we have also stated clearly that everything needs to be done in order to come back to a peaceful resolution. We need to remind all of us again how this escalation started, with the kidnaping of a soldier, through rockets -- for the firing of missiles against Israeli territory.

PRESIDENT BUSH: ...We were headed toward the road map, things looked positive, and terrorists stepped up and kidnaped a soldier, fired rockets into Israel. Now we've got two more kidnapings up north. Hezbollah doesn't want there to be peace. The militant arm of Hamas doesn't want there to be peace. And those of us who do want peace will continue to work together to encourage peace. ....Israel has a right to defend herself. ...Syria needs to be held to account. Syria is housing the militant wing of Hamas. Hezbollah has got an active presence in Syria.