US President George W. Bush Meets with Lithuanian Leader Valdas Adamkus 🇺🇸🇱🇹

(29 Sep 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Wide side shot of US President George W. Bush and Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus in Oval Office
2. SOUNDBITE (English) US President George W. Bush:
"Lithuania's ascension into NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is a very important part of our foreign policy, yours and mine. It's important for the people of Lithuania to know that when the United States makes a commitment through, for example, Article 5 of the treaty, we mean it. I am proud of the alliance we've established and of your contribution to that alliance. We also talked about Georgia Russia and the need for democracies to be be able to stand of their own feet without fear of bullying and you made some very courageous statements on that issue and I appreciate that very much."
3. Cutaway of media
4. SOUNDBITE (English) US President George W. Bush:
"And finally our hope is that by mid October there will be visa-waiver granted to the citizens of Lithuania. You've worked hard for that issue and I think you can take back to your people a very positive report about this very important initiative."
5. Cutaway of media
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Valdas Adamkus, Lithuanian President:
"First of all I would like to express the gratitude by the entire Lithuanian nation for your constant support and if that it would not be for you, I believe we would not be members of NATO and the entire security question in the region would be in doubt."
7. Mid of Bush and Adamkus
STORYLINE
US President George W. Bush on Monday assured Lithuania that the United States will stand by its NATO commitments to Baltic countries at a time of rising tensions with Russia.
Bush's comments came after an Oval Office meeting with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus on Monday.
The meeting comes amid Baltic nervousness after the Russian invasion of Georgia last month.
Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, once Soviet states, joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) in 2004.
Adamkus thanked Bush for his personal involvement early in his administration in pushing NATO to accept his country.
Without membership, he said, the entire region's security would be in question.
Under Article 5 of the NATO charter, all members commit to protecting all other members, agreeing to consider an attack on one as an attack on all.
"It's important for the people of Lithuania to know that when the United States makes a commitment through, for example, Article 5 of the treaty, we mean it," Bush said.
Bush said the United States supports efforts in the Baltics to achieve energy independence.
The region relies heavily on energy exports from Russia.
He also said that the United States expects Lithuanians would be able to travel to the United States without visas by mid-October.
Lithuania is one of a number of countries expected to join most West European countries the US visa waiver program in an expansion this year.
Achieving visa-free travel has been a high political issue in many countries in Eastern Europe, who feel they should enjoy the same privileges as their Western European neighbours.

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