Posted on 12/22/2003 11:46:39 AM PST by TruthNtegrity
The President had a busy weekend. He called the President of China to thank him for his recent comments on Taiwan and they discussed by phone how to restart North Korea nuclear talks. During the conversation Saturday night, the two leaders made a favorable appraisal of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the United States this month. Hu told Pres. Bush he hoped the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be realized through a way acceptable to all parties concerned.
Sunday, after attending St. John's across the street from the White House, the President met with his Security Council and Sec. of Homeland Security, Sec. Ridge. As a result of these meetings, based on the increase of chatter, the threat level has been raised to "High".
Monday, the President met with his Homeland Security Council meeting, including officials from the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), after the domestic security threat level was raised Sunday from yellow, denoting an "elevated" risk of attack, to orange or "high" risk. The President also met with Iraq Administrator, Paul Bremer, for an update, the week following the capture of Saddam Hussein. The President was also scheduled to meet with Sec. Defense Rumsfeld.
President Bush scheduled several events Monday to send Hanukkah greetings to Jews celebrating the eight-day Festival of Lights this holiday season. The President was to meet in the Roosevelt Room of the White House with rabbis and Jewish community leaders in Washington. Before leaving for Camp David, Pres. Bush was scheduled to host an annual Hanukkah reception at the White House and speak at a ceremony to light a menorah, or candelabra.
Then he left for Camp David where he will spend Christmas, leaving the day after for the Crawford Ranch where the First Family will celebrate the New Year's celebration together.
The President's diplomatic day continued from Camp David. President George W. Bush swapped views with China's President Hu Jintao on ending the North Korea nuclear crisis, in a telephone call (1:45 PM Monday) which also touched on mainland tensions over Taiwan. Pres. Bush also eased the path for his Iraq debt envoy James Baker who arrives in Beijing on December 30, after visits to South Korea and Japan.
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