[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[February 24, 1992]
[Page 303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the President's Meeting with 
President Alfredo Cristiani of El Salvador

February 24, 1992
    President Bush held a half-hour private meeting today with President 
Alfredo Cristiani of El Salvador. President Bush congratulated President 
Cristiani for his great personal leadership and courage in bringing 
peace to his country. He also praised the progress President Cristiani 
has made toward implementing the peace agreements signed earlier this 
month in Mexico City and achieving true national reconciliation. The 
President gave his assurance that the United States would do everything 
possible to support full implementation of the peace accord and to help 
El Salvador consolidate democracy and peace and expand economic 
opportunity. In this regard, the President mentioned that the United 
States Government was working with other governments to assure 
international support for the national reconstruction of El Salvador. 
The President also promised to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis 
for continued United States assistance to El Salvador in the future, 
through both direct aid programs and debt reduction under the Enterprise 
for the Americas Initiative (EAI). United States assistance and 
international support will be vital to the continued success of the 
peace process and national reconciliation in El Salvador.