[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[June 18, 1991]
[Pages 688-689]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 688]]


Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for President Fernando Collor de Mello 
of Brazil
June 18, 1991

    President Bush. Good morning all, and welcome to the White House. It 
is my great honor to greet you, Mr. President: one of Latin America's 
most dynamic statesmen.
    The U.S.-Brazilian friendship has spanned nearly two centuries. Now 
an alliance built on fidelity--to democracy, healthy mutual respect, and 
firm collective will--the relationship has never been better. The most 
basic roots of our friendship lie in our dedication to democracy, our 
allegiance to the power of individuals, and the rule of law.
    The nations of the Americas all struggled and gained independence 
from the old ways of the Old World, and we built nations of promise and 
renewal. One hundred and seventy-nine years ago, the United States was 
proud to be the very first nation to recognize the newly sovereign 
Brazil. And that year, your predecessors achieved independence without 
bloodshed, traded goods with the world, and began to integrate a vastly 
diverse country. Today, President Collor, you represent the modern 
leader, Brazil's first directly elected President in 29 years. We 
understand the challenges you face and we admire the vigor with which 
you are dealing with them.
    Across the spectrum, from trade and economic matters to 
environmental issues, to concerns over nuclear proliferation, we are 
determined to treat our common challenges as opportunities, 
opportunities to improve life throughout this hemisphere.
    Brazil, with its great natural wealth and resourceful people, can 
make enormous contributions to the world economy and to hemispheric 
prosperity. Along with the other nations of the Americas, as a long-term 
goal, we aim to create the largest free-trading partnership of sovereign 
states in the world.
    The Enterprise for the Americas Initiative which I unveiled 1 year 
ago next week can help make this goal a reality, and we are already 
making great strides. I am pleased to announce that tomorrow we will 
sign completed negotiations for a trade and investment framework 
agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay--the countries 
of the planned Southern Common Market, MerCoSur. This agreement is a 
significant step toward achieving our common goals, and we look forward 
to this new era of enhanced cooperation.
    Mr. President, America stands by your side as you tackle Brazil's 
most pressing issues. When I visited Brazil last December and was 
received so warmly by you, sir, I saw the bold economic changes that you 
were making. And I saw something else; I saw a bold, active President, 
too. We all know that he's a tireless worker, but add to that jogging, 
piloting fighters, jet skiing, and several other activities. My kind of 
guy. [Laughter]
    You've trimmed government and announced plans to reprivatize 
enterprises, fight inflation, and liberalize trade. These are the keys 
to growth and prosperity in Brazil.
    As the 21st century draws near, we'll mark the 500th anniversary of 
Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the arrival of Cabral's 
Portuguese fleet in Brazil. Spectacular change characterizes the half 
millennium. The New World is becoming integrated in ways our forefathers 
would never have dreamed. And our firm collective will can help ensure a 
future filled with cooperation, not conflict.
    Brazil knows well the importance of united efforts, aligning with 
the allies in both World Wars, its brave expeditionary forces playing a 
key role in World War II. A half-century later, Brazil supported the 
United Nations resolutions and sanctions against Iraq despite 
significant economic losses to Brazil. And that, Mr. President, 
testifies not just to your vision but to your courage; and for this, we 
thank you, also.
    On behalf of all Americans, I salute the shared ideals that unite 
our nations and the lasting friendship between the people of the United 
States and the people of Brazil.
    It is my great pleasure to welcome you to

[[Page 689]]

the White House. May God bless the Federative Republic of Brazil. 
Welcome, sir.
    President Collor. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen: Relations 
with the United States of America are a priority for Brazil. In my 
inaugural speech, I stated the need to eliminate from our relationship 
the emphasis which up to then had been placed on contentious trade 
issues. Such an emphasis used to obscure the true sense of a partnership 
based on common values, aspirations, and enterprises.
    This first goal has been achieved. In a mutually satisfactory way, 
Brazil has shown its earnestness and willingness to approach the issues 
pending on the bilateral agenda. Today, the Brazil-United States agenda 
is clearly positive, and this is only a starting point for continuous 
improvement in our relations.
    Brazil and the United States are the two largest democracies on the 
American continent. We place our most profound trust in political and 
economic freedom as the only way to achieve the individual and 
collective fulfillment of our citizens. We cannot limit ourselves to 
solving circumstantial problems. The advances that we make must be 
founded upon a wide-ranging political vision and serve to reinforce a 
strong and lasting friendship.
    It is in this spirit that we salute the Initiative for the Americas. 
Aside from its very important conceptual gains such as the linkage 
between foreign debt, trade, and investment, the initiative is 
remarkable above all because of its vision of the future, a future that 
we must build together.
    Mr. President, let us close the chapter on past trade disputes and 
past debt problems. Let us join efforts to expand mutual trade, 
technological cooperation, new credit, and investment flows. My idea of 
a truly stable international partnership is based on two major 
assumptions: The first is that is up to every country to determine its 
own destiny and to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve its national 
goals.
    The Federalist Papers themselves state that: provided there be a 
free people and carefully managed finances, ``foreign nations will be 
much more disposed to cultivate our friendship than provoke our 
resentment.'' Brazilian democracy has followed this lesson very closely. 
Brazil is making enormous sacrifices and resolutely carrying out its 
economic modernization project. We have adopted an adjustment program 
that is comparable only to the most rigorous and contemporary world 
history. In Brazil, the state will no longer be a producer of goods but 
rather a promoter of collective well-being.
    The second assumption for a true partnership is a recognition of the 
interdependence that exists among nations, a reality which imposes upon 
all societies and their leaders the obligation to ponder the 
international consequences of their actions. Brazil is fully aware of 
this. We know that despite our present hardships, our policies of 
liberalizing reform will not succeed without real cooperation and 
positive responses on the part of the international community regarding 
solutions to such problems as foreign debt, removal of trade barriers, 
and access to advanced, clean technologies.
    Though we respect the legitimate values and interests of all 
peoples, we must insist on cooperation in the crusade we lead to achieve 
harmony between men and nature. This is precisely the challenge that 
stands before us as we approach the 1992 United Nations Conference on 
Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro: the search for 
a balance between man's seemingly infinite quest for progress and the 
finite limits of Earth's resources.
    Mr. President, I look forward to our coming talks. I'm certain that 
our commitment to democracy and, believe me, my personal deep esteem for 
you will help us attain good results. We have before us a historic 
opportunity to create a new partnership between Brazil and the United 
States. Let us grasp it with determination and a sense of the future.
    May God help us to elevate our relations to the level warranted by 
the greatness of our two countries. Thank you very much.

                    Note: President Bush spoke at 10:15 a.m. at the 
                        South Portico of the White House, where 
                        President Collor was accorded a formal welcome 
                        with full military honors. Following the 
                        ceremony, the two Presidents met in the Oval 
                        Office.