*EPF403 05/13/2004
White House Report, May 13: Rumsfeld, Bush/U.N. role in Iraq, India
(Rumsfeld's trip to Iraq, Bush meets with Congressmen on U.N. role in Iraq, U.S. congratulates India on recent election) (350)

DECISION TO GO TO IRAQ WAS RUMSFELD'S

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters May 13 that President Bush was informed of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's trip to Iraq.

According to news reports, Rumsfeld made a surprise visit to Iraq May 13 and visited Abu Ghraib prison with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers and Major General Geoffrey Miller, commander of the prison system in Iraq.

When asked if President Bush had asked Secretary Rumsfeld to make the trip to Iraq, McClellan said, "Secretary Rumsfeld made the decision to go to Iraq."

"It's always good to show support for the men and women of our military who are serving in Iraq and doing an outstanding job, helping to move forward on our mission to build a free and peaceful Iraq," McClellan said.

BUSH MEETS WITH CONGRESSMEN ABOUT U.N.'S ROLE IN IRAQ

The spokesman said President Bush met with a group of Congressmen from the House International Relations Committee May 12 and discussed the U.N.'s role in Iraq.

"The United Nations has a vital role to play in Iraq," McClellan said, "They're playing a vital role right now in helping to move forward on the formation of the interim representative government. And they're also playing a vital role in helping to move forward on elections, beginning next January."

The spokesman noted that the meeting between Bush and the Congressmen was constructive.

U.S. CONGRATULATES INDIA ON RECENT ELECTIONS

The press secretary congratulated the people of India on the results of their recent election.

According to news reports, Sonia Gandhi's Congress Party defeated Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party in India's May 12 parliamentary election.

"We have good relations with India and we look forward to working with the new government once it is in place," McClellan said.

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

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