Were here today to declare that the United States and france stand united in total solidarity to deliver justice to these terrorists and those who sent them and to defend our nations. In that spirit with heavy but strong hearts i welcome you here today. Francois, with your hand and my Statement Today will be longer than usual. Ive been traveling, and this is an important moment for our nations and for the world. This barbaric terrorist group, isil or dash and its murderous ideology, poses a serious threat to all of us. It cannot be tolerated. It must be destroyed. We need to do together. This is the unity of purpose that brez us here today. On your visit here last year you said that the french love america. We love the french. Sometimes we americans are too shy to say so, but were not feeling shy today. We americans love france because we dedicate ourselves to the same ideals that all people deserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. France is our oldest ally. You helped us win our independence. We helped liberate france from fascism. We owe our freedom to each other. Who love france for your spirit approximate your culture. Since the attacks, americans have recalled their own visits to paris visiting the eiffel tower or walking along. We know these places. Theyre part of our memories. Woven into the fabric of our lives and our culture. I am very grateful to the french people for the hospitality theyve always shown me. When they welcome michelle and our daughters on their first visit to the city of lights. By my bed in the residence is a picture of me and michelle in the luxembourg gardens kissing. Those are the memories we have of paris, as early on i had no gray hair. So when tragedy struck that evening, our hearts broke too. That stadium and concert hall and those restaurants and cafes we see our own. In the face of the french people, we see ourselves. Thats why so Many Americans have embraced the blue, white, and red. Thats why americans at kajts light vigils have joined together to sing. We never have forgotten how the french people stood with us after 9 11, and today we stand with you. [ speaking french ] its been noted that the terrorists did not direct their attacks against the french government or military. Rather, they focused their violence on the very spirit of france. By extension, on all liberal democracies. This was an attack on our free and open societies where people come together to celebrate and sing and compete. Targeting venues where people come together from around the world killing citizens of nearly 20 countries, including america. This was an attack on the very idea that people of different races and religions and backgrounds could live together in peace. In short, this was not only a strike against one of the worlds great cities. It was an attack against the world itself. Its the same madness that has slaughtered the innocent from nij ear wra to the sinai, from lebanon to iraq. It is a scourge that threatens all of us. Thats why for more than a year the United States, france, and our coalition of some 65 nations have been united in one mission. To destroy these isil terrorists and defeat their vial ideology. Today president hollande and i reviewed our coalitions progress. More than 8,000 air strikes combined with local partners on the ground have pushed isil back from territory in both iraq and syria. Today president hollande and i agree that our nags must do more together. U. S. Assistance has supported recent french strikes in syria, and were going to keep stepping up that coordination. As we saw with the attack in mali, the terrorist threat goes beyond isil. This week ill sign legislation to sustain our support, including airlift and intelligence to allies like france as we Work Together to rout out terrorist networks in africa. Well do even more to prevent attacks at home. Building on our recent intelligence agreement, the United States will continue to quickly share threat information with france xwh in the wake of pair and hes with the threats in belgium, theres also a growing recognition among european nation that is they need to ramp up additional efforts to prevent the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. As part of that im calling on the European Union to finally implement the agreement thats been long in the works that would require airlines to share passenger information so we can do more to stop foreign terrorist fighters from entering our countries undetected, and i am prepared to send teams of our experts to work on this with our European Partners to make sure were redoubling our efforts together. President hollande and i agree that russias strikes against the moderate opposition only bolster the assaad regime who has helped to fuel the rise of isil. We agree that russia could play a more constructive role if it were to strike its efforts to defeating isil. Like wrooiz wise president hollande and i agree that the way to bring peace to syria is to require active Russian Support for a ceasefire and a political transition away from assaad to a democratically that can unite the Syrian People against terrorists. Finally, francois and i understand that one of our greatest weapons in the fight against isil is the strength and resilience of our people. Here i want to speak directly to the mernl people. What happened in paris is truly horrific. I understand that people worry that something similar could happen here. I want you to know that we will continue to do everything in our power to defend our nation. Since 9 11, weve taken extraordinary measures to strengthen our homeland security. Our counterterrorism, homeland security, and Law Enforcement professionals, federal, state, and local, they are tireless. They have prevented attacks and they have saved lives. They are working every hour, every day, for our security. They did so before paris. They do so now, and they will not stop. Theyre the best in the world. But its not just our Security Professionals who will defeat isil and other terrorist groups. As americans we all have a role to play in how we respond to threats. Groups like isil cannot defeat us on the battlefield so they try to terrorize us at home against soft targets, against civilians, against innocent people. Even as were vigilant, we cannot and we will not succumb to fear. Nor can we allow fear to divide us. Thats how terrorists win. We cannot give them the good news is americans are resilient. We mourned the lives lost at fort hood, the boston marathon, chattanooga, but we did not waiver. Our communities have come together. Weve fwaun to ballgames, and weve gone to concerts, and weve gone shopping, and men and women who want to serve our country continue to go to military recruiting offices. Were vigilant. We take precautions, but we go about our business. Those that want to harm us, our actions have shown that we have too much resolve and too much character. Americans will not be terrorists. Ill say all this because another part of being vigilant, another part of defeating terrorists like isil is upholding the rights and freedom that is define our two great republics. That includes freedom of religion. That includes equality before the law. There have been times in our history in moments of fear when we have failed to uphold our highest ideals, and it has been to our lasting regret. We must uphold our ideals now. Each of us, all of us, must show that america is strengthened by people of every faith and every background. Related to this i want to note that under president hollande france plans to welcome 30,000 additional Syrian Refugees over the next two years. Here in the United States refugees coming to america go through up to two years of intense security checks, including biometric convenienting. Nobody who sets foot in america goes through more screening than refugees. Were prepared to share these tools with france and our European Partners. As francois has said, our humanitarian obligation to help did hes pratts refugees, those duties go hand in hand. On the statue of liberty, our gift from the people of france. There are words we know so well. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free. Thats the spirit that makes us american. Thats the spirit that binds us to france. Thats the spirit we need today. In close, i want to salute the people of paris for showing at the world how to stay strong in the face of terrorism. Even as they grieve or reasons beyond returning to their cafes, riding the metro, going to stadiums, to cheer for their teams, crowds gather, including a mother who brought her children. She said to let them see that we should not be afraid. As one parisian said, paris will always be paris. Next week i will be joining president hollande and World Leaders in paris for the Global Climate conference. What a powerful rebuke to the terrorists that will be when the world stands at one and shows the world that we elizabeth be deterred from building a Better Future for our children. So president hollande, my fellow americans, lets remember we face greater threats to our way of life before. Fascism, communism, the first world war, the second, the long cold war, each and every time we prevail we have prevailed because our way of life is strong, because we stay united, because even as we are relentless in the face of evil, we draw on whats best in ourselves. And in the character of our countries. It will be no different this time. Make no mistake, we will win and groups like isil will lose. Standing with allies like france, we will continue to show the world the best of the american leadership. Viva la france, and god bless the United States of america. Mr. President. Translator ladies and gentlemen, please allow me first and foremost to thank the president of the United States for the solidarity he has shown immediately as we found out through the terror attacks. He was the first one to call me. It was very late in france. 2 00 a. M. When barack called. The president of the United States. I would like to sfres his solidarity towards france, his emotion, his compassion against. On that night he meant to tell me that the United States stood by france that the help would have no limit and that we have a joint duty to pull our forces together and fight terrorism. I do not forget either all of the messages that the American People sent to the french people over the past few days. The french colors, the french flag, all abound in many gatherings. These candles in place that represent france here in the United States. Signed in official serenade. It is true that 9 11 we all felt americans, but after the 13th of november americans felt french. Our two peoples together merged as one sharing the same emotion and also the willingness to fight with freedom to stand for our values. We are not two similar peoples. We each have our own history. We have our own culture, own background, but we share the same trust, the same fate in freedom. France, for what it is, the country, which we consider unique in the world because france speaks to the world. France came under attack for what is represented and what it stands for, whats culture, our way of living, as well as our values, our principles, but by targeting france the terrorists, currently murderers, are targeting the world. In these rest restaurants, in these cafes, as well as the conce concert venue, there were men and women, most of them young who came from 20 countries. At least thats the reason with the friends and family of the Young American student who came as well to share a moment of culture. My thoughts also go to the american that was playing at the concert venue. Our cultures on that occasion were together to bring the same enthusiasm and that were hit by terrorists. We are facing would organize itself on the territory that have substantial resources. Human beings and since the beginning of the year they hit many countries, denmark, lebanon, kuwait. As well as russthe russian plan. Together with president obama, today we want first of all, to share, share our determination, relentless determination to fight terrorism everywhere and anywhere. We also meant to tell the world that we will not allow those who want to destroy what weve built well not allow them to do it. To destroy what generation after generation, that we will not be able toamage the world and we need a joint response, a joint response. France and the United States stand together to bring that joint response. It is about destroying and taking back the land they currently control. We, therefore, decided, president obama and myself, to target strikes, to broaden their scope, to strengthen our intelligence sharing regarding the targets. The priority is to take back key locations in the hands of daiche and syria. It is also a matter of urgency to close the border between turkey and syria and prevent terrorists from crossing the border and coming to europe or other places and then to take such terrible attacks. We also took the decision to Work Together with our partners of the coalition in iraq and to support all of those who are fighting daiche on the ground. The aim is to make sure that these forces can be supported, helped and all countries that are willing to act militarily to destroy them. The resolution of these Security Council that was voted unanimously friday after being introduced by france and supported by the United States, this resolution provides with the clear basis to act. This is what france is currently doing. Our Aircraft Carrier is currently in the east of mediterranean, and allows us to enjoy more capability. Yesterday for the sixty tinl after the terror attacks. In addition weve been provided some assistance into iraqi fighters now both president bottom and myself strengthened our cooperation as early as the night after the attacks and i would like to commend everything that is being done so that intelligence and Information Available can be used for terrorists and to follow their movements so that we prevent from them from doing what they want to do. Beyond syria and iraq, what they want is somehow to spread fear everywhere so that we doubt, so that we make decisions which are exactly contrary to ma we want in terms of freedom and rights, about the we will not give in. That being said, we have to defend ourselves and use intelligence. Diplomatically, we are working on credible political transitions in syria within the framework of the process and i commend the work done by ministers to agree on a timeline that will enable a ceasefire. Of course, as quickly as possible and to threed Bashar Al Assa assaads departure. We cannot imagine the syrians getting together, gathering around the leader who is responsible for some of the most of the 300,000 the government that must lead to the departure. The syrian drisz is directly relevant to europe, first of all, gin the terrorist attack, but also because there are millions of refugees fleeing the regimes bombs. This is the reason why i reject identifying migration and terrorism. At the same time we must control the borders. Today people are risking their lives to flee when they travel it is together with turkey that we Must Find Solutions so that the refugees can stay close to their country of origin and to make sure that the required controls and checks are implemented at the border. On thursday i will be traveling to moscow to meet with vladimir putin, and i will tell him that france can Work Together with russia if russia concentrates its military action against isil and if russia wra fully commits to the political solution in syria. This is what we want to do. We want to gather all countries, all those who are willing to find a political solution in sear wra. We will not want to exclude anyone, but we want to make sure that these Political Solutions can eradicate terrorism. Lastly, next week that is on monday we will be hosting in paris a conference. I certainly could not imagine that this conference would be taking place against certain background. At the same time they cannot be any better symbol or the response of where the attacks took place, where the threat measures in terms of security, protections as well as independent values. Theres no greater symbol than holding this conference in paris with some 150 heads of state in government. Never before did france host so many leaders of the international community. Theyre coming to sort out the climate challenge and to work and to find the right agreement so that we can limit Greenhouse Gas emissions and make sure that our children and our grandchildren can simply live, but they are also coming to express their support to freedom to the fight against extremism. That radical islam which is becoming the its the same principal, the same values with the same word. Life. Yes. Simply life. Its the reason why im very pleased that president obama will allow us to succeed. I commend his recent statements of the past few weeks and months, but i also commend the commitments he has made in the name of the United States and also in the name of the world. It was very important that one of the most powerful countries if the world if not the most poifl and, therefore, with the highest level of emissions would also be there to face future what we will be doing early next week in paris means that we can continue to protect lives and prepare that of our children. Friends of the United States and given their history and the family values of both our nations, given our spirits, we both have that duty to act as a matter of urgently against terrorism and against d dash and at the same time to prepare for the future. Against that background even though it is a very dire one, im pleased to be with barack obama t