13 June 2001

White House Report on Mideast, NATO, Missile Defense

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters aboard Air Force One June 13 that President Bush had phoned CIA Director George Tenet in Tel Aviv to congratulate him on the cease-fire he negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Bush told Tenet: "The United States is looking for progress, and so is the world."

"What's important next, in the President's opinion," said Fleischer, "is that there be action on the ground so the cease-fire can take hold and endure as a necessary first step in leading up to more confidence-building measures.

"The President is pleased," he said. The President was expected to discuss the Middle East during his news conference at NATO the afternoon of June 13.

Fleischer said the President had scheduled no solo news conferences on this trip because of the "tradition" of joining the host leader in a joint session.

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card briefed reporters a few minutes later:

The President has been staving off jet lag by drinking "lots of water."

"He's in good shape, right on top of his game," said Card.

Asked about the views of Hungary, Poland, Italy and Spain on the President's plans for a missile defense shield, Card said, "I think they've given the President a good listen. The paradigm of the past is something that we should move away from."

Asked about the harsh perception of Bush in Europe, Card said, "Every new President is some kind of caricature in Europe until the first trip. There's a caricature of the President until he comes here." In Bush's case, Card said, it was "similar to Ronald Reagan's." Asked if the caricature of Bush was unfair, Mr. Card said, "They don't know him yet. They'll come to know him."