[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.