(18 Sep 2001)
1. Jacques Chirac, French president walking into hotel on arrival in US
2. Hubert Vedrine, French foreign minister shakes hands with Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
3. Bush and Chirac in the Oval Office at the White House
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W Bush, US President:
"It is my honour to welcome a good friend, a good personal friend and a good friend of America, to the Oval Office. It's the first formal visit I've had with any world leader since the terrible day a week ago. After the incident, after that day, I got a lot of phone calls, and one of the most meaningful phone calls of all was from Jacques Chirac who expressed his concern for the American citizens, he expressed his desire to stand solidly with America during this terrible, terrible day. President Chirac understands that we have entered a new type of war. It's a war against people who hate freedom, and I am honoured to welcome our friend here to the Oval Office. Welcome Sir."
5. SOUNDBITE: (French) Jacques Chirac, French President:
"Thank you. I have come here to tell you of the great emotion felt by the French people, a strength of emotion probably without historic precedent before this unparalleled tragedy. Indeed it is a tragic event that is beyond crime, there are no words to describe. I want to tell President Bush, who is my friend, that we, the French people, stand in complete solidarity, a solidarity of the heart. And I also wanted to tell you of our determination to fight by your side with all the necessary effectiveness this new evil of terrorism. France is prepared and available to discuss whatever measures are necessary to make this struggle against terrorism effective and to really eradicate this evil of our time."
6. Bush and Chirac
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W Bush, US President:
"And it's important for the world to understand that there are no beaches to storm, there are no islands to conquer, there are no battle lines to be drawn. It's a war that is going to take an international effort, it's going to take all of us to gather the necessary intelligence, the necessary information, to be able to find the location of terrorists, to work with governments to smoke them out of their safe houses, to get them moving, and then have the courage to bring them to justice."
8. Bush and Chirac
STORYLINE:
President Jacques Chirac of France was in the U-S on Tuesday, the first world leader to visit President George W Bush since attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon a week ago.
Bush said he hoped to "rally the world" in the battle against terrorism and predicted that all "people who love freedom" would join that battle.
Chirac said his nation stood firmly with the United States in that effort.
A week after the nation's worst terrorist attack, Bush said his goal was to find terrorists, to smoke them out, and to bring them to justice.
Bush spoke as he began an evening dinner meeting with Chirac.
Chirac said France stood in total solidarity with the U-S, but he stopped short of using Bush's "war" terminology.
Speaking through an interpreter, Chirac said he didn't know whether the word 'war' should be used, but admitted that the world was now faced with a conflict of a completely new nature.
The meeting came as the Bush administration stepped up its efforts to reach out to leaders around the world to build a coalition against terrorism, even appealing for help to Cuba and Sudan, with which the United States has had tense relations.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is due in Washington on Thursday.
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