President bush hosts iftar dinner

US President George W. Bush on Monday hosted an Iftar dinner in honor of the ambassadors of Islamic countries to the United States.

In remarks on the occasion, President Bush stressed that "America is made better by millions of Muslim citizens. America has close and important relations with many Islamic nations. So it is fitting for America to honor your friendship and the traditions of a great faith by hosting this Iftaar at the White House."

"Ramadan is a time of fasting and prayer for the Muslim faithful. So tonight we are reminded of God's greatness and His commandments to live in peace and to help neighbors in need," he said, adding that the holy Quran, revealed to the prophet, Muhammad, during the month of Ramadan, "has guided billions of believers across the centuries, and those believers built a culture of learning and literature and science."

"All the world continues to benefit from this faith and its achievements. Ramadan and the upcoming holiday season are a good time for people of different faiths to learn more about each other. And the more we learn, the more we find that many commitments are broadly shared. We share a commitment to family, to protect and love our children. We share a belief in God's justice, and man's moral responsibility. And we share the same hope for a future of peace. We have much in common and much to learn from one another," he said.