Statement by the Press Secretary: President Bush to Welcome President of France Nicolas Sarkozy

President Bush will welcome French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Washington on November 6-7, 2007, for his first visit here as President. The President and Mrs. Bush will host President Sarkozy at a dinner at the White House on November 6. On November 7, the two leaders will visit Mount Vernon, the historic home of George Washington, to hold further discussions. The President looks forward to continuing consultations on a wide range of issues with the President of France and reaffirming the deep historical bonds our two countries share. The two leaders will discuss our shared goals of strengthening security and democracy in Afghanistan, preventing Iran from obtaining the means to build nuclear weapons, bringing peace to the Middle East and working closely to support Lebanon's right to hold presidential elections free of external interference, ending the genocide in Darfur, fostering democratic change in Burma, forging a peaceful resolution in Kosovo, and further enhancing cooperation on counterterrorism and security and the promotion of democracy and freedom.