Statement by the Press Secretary: President to Welcome Foreign Ministers of Central and Eastern Europe

Rose Garden Event with the Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia

On May 8, President Bush will welcome the Foreign Ministers of the seven nations invited to join NATO at the November 2002 NATO Summit in Prague. He will be joined by leaders of the United States Senate, which is considering a resolution to provide its advice and consent to the ratification of the Protocols which will formally admit these nations as members of NATO.

The new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe treasure the freedom they have regained following the end of the Cold War. They have already acted as Allies in providing strong support to the United States in the war on terrorism, and bringing peace and democracy to Afghanistan and Iraq. Their membership in NATO will strengthen the Alliance, which remains the central pillar of transatlantic relations. The President has called upon the United States Senate to join him in advancing the cause of freedom by providing its prompt advice and consent to the ratification of these Protocols of Accession.