    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [June 19, 1991]
    [Pages 698-700]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks by President Bush and President Collor of Brazil on Signing an
    Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Multilateral Trade Agreement
    June 19, 1991

        President Bush. Well, first, let me welcome everybody here--a most
    distinguished guest list from all across our treasured hemisphere, and
    we're delighted to have you here. Of course, I want to single out our
    guest of honor, who's been here for what the United States feels has
    been a terribly important visit, President Collor of Brazil. I want to
    salute Foreign Minister Di Tella; Foreign Minister Rezek; Foreign
    Minister Frutos; Foreign Minister Gros; and the Secretary General of the
    OAS, our distinguished friend Baena Soares; and Secretary Brady and
    Secretary Mosbacher. Of course, Carla Hills here at the table for the
    United States, and so many distinguished Ambassadors. We're delighted to
    have you here.
        This is an occasion to be proud of. We want to refer to this, and
    will refer to this, as the Rose Garden Agreement. For those who are new
    here, this is a very special place, this Rose Garden. Many historic
    events have happened here; many current events take place here. But we
    view this agreement as one of significance, and I would refer to this as
    the Rose Garden Agreement. It represents the culmination of a great deal
    of negotiating work. It represents a new departure for our trade and
    investment relations with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
        And more importantly, this agreement demonstrates how a new
    cooperative spirit

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    is at work in our hemisphere. Almost exactly a year ago, I set forth
    some ideas on how the United States and the other countries of this
    hemisphere could address issues of trade, investment, and debt. And one
    of the ideas advanced was the negotiation of bilateral trade and
    investment framework agreements as a way to move us along the road to
    our ultimate destination. Free trade area--this is the way we see it--a
    free trade area stretching from Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego
    in the south. A major new free trade area.
        The four countries represented here came back and they told us they
    had some innovative ideas, and they came back with a very imaginative
    proposal. Instead of doing a bilateral framework agreement, why not do a
    framework agreement with a number of countries? And we thought about it.
    The logic was compelling. And in the marketplace of ideas, good ones
    advance, and this was a very good one.
        In keeping with that spirit and the purpose of the EAI--the
    Enterprise for the Americas Initiatives--we were delighted, in keeping
    with that spirit, to join with a group of hemispheric countries that are
    working together to break down barriers to trade among themselves. And
    we've spent the last several months working with you all to make this a
    reality. And I want to congratulate, with pride, our negotiator, Carla
    Hills, for her work and that of her team. On behalf of the United
    States, I can proudly say I hope you found them cooperative, but I'm
    proud of the negotiations that were undertaken and concluded. And I want
    to thank each Foreign Minister for the work that you have done to make
    this signing today possible.
        We all know, however, that agreeing on the words and then putting
    them down on paper is only the first step. The most important part of
    any agreement is its implementation. I want to assure you that we are
    committed to making this agreement work in practice. And as I made clear
    when I proposed the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative, our goal is
    to help bring more trade and growth, more jobs and greater prosperity to
    this, our shared and treasured hemisphere.
        I don't intend for the Enterprise for the Americas to be just a
    slogan. We can't afford here in the United States to have one more
    slogan and then have the policy itself not be followed through on, have
    the policy fail. And so, we want it to mean real progress in this
    hemisphere. And you have my commitment to bring this agreement the same
    spirit of cooperation--bring to it the same spirit of cooperation and
    innovation that produced it in the first place.
        So, I wanted to thank you. I wanted to simply say, from the
    standpoint of the United States of America, we know it is in our
    interest. I am convinced it is in the interest of all the signatories to
    this agreement--this Rose Garden Agreement. And I believe also there's a
    good message for others in this hemisphere.
        So, thank you to everybody that worked so hard on it. And again Mr.
    President, I just can't tell you how pleased we are to have you. And you
    get the final word.
        President Collor. Mr. President, Ministers of Foreign Affairs,
    Ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen, for the first time since our
    countries took their places in the concert of nations, we four and
    President Bush and the United States of America are meeting to inscribe
    our common aspirations for peace, justice, and development in a formal
    agreement which translates the will of our peoples and governments.
        May this moment be remembered as an historical milestone which
    foreshadows a brighter and better future for generations to come. May
    this Rose Garden Agreement flower as a source of inspiration for all of
    us, people and governments, rich and poor, as a token of faith in our
    future--a common future, but a better future on a planet where we can
    raise our children in peace and harmony and social justice with trust in
    our neighbors and no fear for our environment.
        May God guide us. And thank you very much, President George Bush.

                        Note: The President spoke at 5:04 p.m. in the Rose
                            Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he
                            referred to Foreign Minister Guido Di Tella of
                            Argentina; Foreign Minister Francisco Rezek of
                            Brazil; Foreign Minister Alexis Frutos Vaesken
                            of Paraguay;

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                            Foreign Minister Hector Gros Espiell of Uruguay;
                            Joao Clemente Baena Soares, Secretary General of
                            the Organization of American States; Secretary
                            of the Treasury Nicholas F. Brady; Secretary of
                            Commerce Robert A. Mosbacher; and United States
                            Trade Representative Carla A. Hills.