[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[June 5, 1991]
[Pages 610-612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



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Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth of 
Mauritius
June 5, 1991

    The President. Mr. Prime Minister, it is an honor for us, our whole 
team, all of us, to welcome you to the White House on this, your first 
official visit to Washington. I understand you have with you some of 
your business community, and I look forward to greeting them when this 
little ceremony is over.
    Your visit comes at a time of tremendous change for my country and 
yours and for all the world. We've seen a new faith in freedom sweep the 
globe. It's taking hold on every continent.
    This new discovery of free enterprise and free government across 
Africa vindicates the path that Mauritius has followed since the very 
first days of its independence. On the island of Mauritius, democracy 
has deep roots. Pluralism flourishes in a free and open multiparty 
system. And the free market is widely recognized as the engine of growth 
and development.
    Mr. Prime Minister, under your leadership Mauritius has experienced 
almost a decade of unprecedented economic growth. The challenge for 
Mauritius now is to diversify its economy, to ease the exclusive 
dependence on the export of one product, and I'm pleased that we had a 
chance to talk about that today. The key is creating a pro-investment 
climate, and here Mauritius has made a strong beginning with its Export 
Processing Zone. Gross earnings generated by this zone, this EPZ, now 
surpass earnings from Mauritius' traditionally dominant sugar industry. 
The EPZ is responsible almost singlehandedly for slashing unemployment, 
providing the people of Mauritius with new opportunity and new hope.
    Mr. Prime Minister, let me repeat here what I said in our meetings 
today. The United States applauds the course you have chosen. We stand 
ready to help. We will tailor our assistance programs to meet Mauritius' 
new needs, to help your nation develop new markets and industries. But 
we know that government-to-government programs alone cannot unlock your 
nation's tremendous potential for growth, so we must build ties between 
our private sectors. And I am pleased that this September the Agency for 
International Development and OPIC, our Overseas Private Investment 
Corporation, plan an investment mission to Mauritius to develop 
promising opportunities for American industry.
    Under the terms of the Lome Convention, Mauritius does enjoy access 
to European markets, to the Middle East and Asia, and of course, to the 
continent of Africa. Geography has made Mauritius a gateway to growth. 
There is every reason that Mauritius, the ``star of the Indian Ocean,'' 
can turn its potential to prosperity in the years ahead.
    In addition to the issues of increased trade and investment, I 
reviewed with Prime Minister Jugnauth world affairs of urgent concern, 
in particular our common security concerns in the Indian Ocean. I 
stressed the tremendous value to Mauritius, to its neighboring nations, 
to the international community as a whole, of the American military 
presence in the region as demonstrated so clearly in Operation Desert 
Storm. We talked about the Middle East. We talked about the continent of 
Africa. And from our view, sir, this was a far-reaching and very 
constructive dialog that we had here today.
    Our two peoples are separated by thousands of miles, but we are 
linked across that vast distance by a common faith in freedom and, by 
that faith, to a common future as friends.
    So, once again, sir, it has been my real pleasure to welcome you and 
your able assistants, your teammates here, to the White House and to 
Washington. May God bless you all. And thanks for coming our way.
    The Prime Minister. Mr. President, I very deeply appreciated the 
opportunity given to me today to discuss with you matters of importance 
to our two countries and pertinent issues of mutual interest to the 
United

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States and Mauritius, two countries which share very many common ideals 
of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, peace, justice, and 
equality.
    On this historic occasion, it gives me the greatest pleasure on 
behalf of the Government and people of Mauritius, and in my own name, to 
convey to the wonderful people of the United States of America our 
warmest greetings, our very best wishes, and the expression of our 
admiration and friendship. To you, Mr. President, I convey our highest 
respect as the inspiring leader of the free world.
    Our talks were conducted in a friendly atmosphere as naturally as 
leaves come to the tree. This is but normal. Although Mauritius is on 
the other side of the world in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we do 
share so many common ties. We Mauritians enjoy, as do the Americans, 
democratic traditions, a free press, an independent judiciary, and a 
free market system.
    In the 23 years of our independence, Mauritius has conducted regular 
and free elections in a multiparty parliamentary system. Mauritius, like 
the United States of America, is a melting pot of many races and 
religions. Our people, too, worked hard and transformed a bare country 
from a land of opportunity to what the international community now calls 
an economic miracle nation.
    A lot of the success comes from our dedication to educating our 
people. We therefore applaud, Mr. President, your efforts as the 
education President. We have one of the highest literacy rates in the 
world. And we continue to provide for better access to higher education 
and specialized training free of cost to our students. At the same time, 
we are trying to develop a society that will not, in its material 
search, become oblivious of human values.
    This again reminds us, Mr. President, of your own ideals so 
eloquently expressed during your Inaugural Address when you said that--I 
quote--``America's success would be measured by the need not to be more 
driven to succeed than anyone around us, but to celebrate the quieter, 
deeper successes that are not made of gold and silk, but of better 
hearts and inner souls.''
    In our consultations with you, Mr. President, we reviewed the 
situation in the Persian Gulf, and we are happy to note that a permanent 
peaceful settlement is in the offing. I congratulate the allied nations 
under your able leadership in their efforts to demonstrate that 
aggression shall not be allowed to succeed.
    In the new world order that is developing, it augurs well for the 
future that international cooperation is given paramount importance in 
allowing consultations and dialog to promote peace, as demonstrated in 
recent United Nations concerted action in the Gulf crisis. It is in this 
spirit that problems, whether in the Horn of Africa, Southern Africa, 
the Middle East, or elsewhere, can be successfully resolved.
    Mr. President, we Mauritians are, however, very much concerned about 
recent events in South Africa. Such events--namely, continued violence 
and postponed agendas--unfortunately raise doubts about the future of 
the negotiations process. We appeal for the immediate cessation of 
hostilities. We feel that Mr. Mandela and Mr. Buthelezi should aim at 
bringing unity among the black communities. A united leadership would 
bring about a dismantlement of apartheid sooner. President de Klerk, Mr. 
Mandela, and Mr. Buthelezi have a tryst with destiny to build a united, 
democratic, nonracial South Africa.
    I share, Mr. President, your vision of this new world order. I trust 
this can serve as a guide for the Indian Ocean region also. As a small, 
vulnerable country, we want to ensure peace in the area. That is why we 
support the move for the Indian Ocean to be a zone of peace and also the 
establishment of a nuclear free zone in the region.
    The process of demilitarization embarked upon by you, Mr. President, 
and President Gorbachev should be encouraged to its logical conclusion. 
It is obvious, therefore, that the Chagos Archipelago should be returned 
to Mauritius, its rightful owner.
    We also had much to talk about international trade in general, and 
Mauritius trade in particular, the key to our continued economic 
development and long-term prosperity. I am confident that our two 
largest exports, sugar and textiles, will continue to

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obtain reasonable and sustained access into the U.S. market. We are 
ready, willing, and prepared to continue to supply the highest quality 
products to the United States of America. Mauritius looks forward to 
successful diversification programs while attracting foreign investments 
in new areas, for example, medium and high technology, manufacturing, 
tourism, banking, shipping, and computer technology.
    I'm reminded of Napoleon Bonaparte's maxim that ``a leader is a 
dealer in hope.'' Your leadership proves it. Like you, Mr. President, we 
have a vision. A vision that, as old rivalries disappear, as we build 
new consensus among world leaders, we can create a future world that 
will be rid of environmental pollution, we'll see an end to famine, 
provide universal access to health care, establish better standards of 
living for all, encourage free trade and ensure peace.
    Mr. President, I'm proud to say that Mauritius is a great little 
country wherein there is unity in the richness and splendor of diversity 
and wherein peaceful coexistence is not a mere blueprint but a living 
reality. We have been referred to as a United Nations in miniature. So, 
indeed, we are. But our people have great hearts and great visions for 
ourselves and for the peoples of the world, united in freedom and true 
democracy, the democracy and democratic life that Americans and 
Mauritians enjoy fully.
    Mr. President, we Mauritians are a peace-loving and hardworking 
people. We're also a sophisticated people. In our humble but strong 
contributions to the free world, we naturally expect tangible gestures 
of encouragement from the stalwarts of freedom led by the wonderful 
American people. Our success deserves special attention and further 
encouragement, for after all, we, too, wish and work towards the advent 
of true democracy throughout the world. In this context, an economically 
stronger and more prosperous Mauritius would become an ongoing example 
to prove that the democratic way of life is the best way of life. Mr. 
President, I rely on you to help Mauritius to achieve this.
    Before closing my remarks, I should like to express my unflinching 
support to you, Mr. President, in your ceaseless and dedicated efforts 
to safeguard world peace and promote democracy everywhere. We are 
touched by the warmth of the hospitality that has been extended to me 
and my delegations since our arrival. I shall treasure these great 
moments of my visit. I wish to extend our deepest appreciation to you, 
Mr. President, and to the great people of the United States of America 
for having invited us to visit the sanctuary of freedom that your 
country is and for having made our stay as useful as it has been 
pleasant. Thank you very much, indeed, and God bless you and God bless 
America.
    The President. Thank you very much, and thank you for those kind 
words. I appreciate it.

                    Note: The President spoke at 1:23 p.m. at the South 
                        Portico of the White House. In his remarks, the 
                        Prime Minister referred to Nelson Mandela, 
                        Deputy President of the African National 
                        Congress; Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Chief 
                        Minister of South Africa's KwaZulu Homeland and 
                        leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party; President 
                        Frederik Willem de Klerk of South Africa; and 
                        President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. 
                        Prior to their remarks, the President and the 
                        Prime Minister met privately in the Oval Office 
                        and with U.S. and Mauritian officials in the 
                        Cabinet Room, and then attended a luncheon in 
                        the Old Family Dining Room.