*EPF101 09/08/2003
Transcript: White House Briefing, September 8
(President's phone conversations with leaders of Brazil, India, Pakistan and South Africa on WTO ministerial in Cancun) (320)

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan briefed reporters on Air Force One on September 8 as they accompanied President Bush on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

Following is the White House transcript:

(begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Nashville, Tennessee)
September 8, 2003

PRESS GAGGLE WITH SCOTT MCCLELLAN

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Nashville, Tennessee

2:50 P.M. EDT

MR. McCLELLAN: The President made four calls, in addition to the one I read out earlier. He spoke with President Lula of Brazil, Prime Minister Vajpayee of India, President Musharraf of Pakistan and President Mbeki. The purpose of all these calls was to talk about the importance of the World Trade Organization ministerial in Cancun later this week. And the President noted that an ambitious, successful outcome in Cancun, especially in agriculture, would benefit all countries.

In addition to discussing that topic, with Prime Minister Vajpayee, they also generally discussed the situation in Iraq and progress toward a new U.N. Security Council resolution. And with President Musharraf, they also -- the two leaders also discussed continuing cooperation in the war on terrorism and the upcoming visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Jamali.

That's the readout.

QUESTION: What's this trade thing about? Sorry, I missed it.

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, this is about the WTO ministerial meeting coming up. The President is strongly committed to expanding trade and opening markets. And one of the things we've been pushing for is opening agricultural markets and reducing agricultural subsidies. So that's something that's important. And the President talked about some of this, if you'll recall, back in his speech prior to departing for Africa.

So that's essentially it.

Q: When is the Cancun meeting?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know the exact dates. It's this week.

All right, thanks.

END 2:53 P.M. EDT

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Return to Public File Main Page

Return to Public Table of Contents