    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 30, 1993]
    [Pages 2075-2079]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2075]]

    The President's News Conference With President Ramiro De Leon of
    Guatemala
    November 30, 1993

        President Clinton. Good morning. This morning it was my great honor
    to welcome seven outstanding Central American leaders to the White
    House: President Cristiani of El Salvador, President Endara of Panama,
    President Callejas of Honduras, President Calderon of Costa Rica,
    President Chamorro of Nicaragua, President De Leon of Guatemala, and
    Prime Minister Esquivel of Belize.
        These leaders have made an historic contribution to our hemisphere
    by helping to build democracy and peace in a region that until very
    recently was riven by civil strife. I'm grateful that they were able to
    break away from the Miami conference on the Caribbean, which they are
    attending with leaders from the private sector, from throughout the
    Caribbean Basin, to discuss ways to advance regional prosperity.
        President De Leon has struggled heroically on behalf of democracy
    and human rights in Guatemala. And he's just achieved an important
    political accord that will bring more accountable government to his
    nation. President Cristiani played a central role in ending El
    Salvador's civil war and has been critical to the success of the peace
    accords. President Chamorro has worked hard to bring reconciliation and
    democracy to Nicaragua. I want to acknowledge President Callejas for his
    leadership in consolidating democracy in Honduras and President Calderon
    for advancing Costa Rica's traditions of social justice and the rule of
    law. President Endara has safeguarded Panama's return to democracy. And
    Prime Minister Esquivel has earned praise for his government's sound
    economic policies and his own personal integrity.
        For years, few regions of our world endured more suffering than
    Central America. But today, few regions are better poised to reap the
    benefits of the end of the cold war. This is the first time in the 20th
    century that all of these nations have come here to the White House to
    meet the President of the United States, every one of them being headed
    by democratically elected leaders. It is an historic and very important
    moment.
        The people of Central America are clearly dedicated to the harvest
    of reconstruction and renewal. They're healing divided societies,
    reviving stalled economies, and working toward closer integration among
    themselves and their other neighbors. My message today to these
    distinguished leaders and to the millions whom they represent is simple:
    The United States will be there as your partner to help. We will not
    make the mistake of abandoning this region when its dramatic recovery is
    not yet complete. We will remain engaged to help Central America attain
    peace, consolidate democracy, protect human rights, and achieve
    sustainable development. Our Nation has a direct stake in Central
    America's stability and prosperity. The United States exports $6 billion
    in goods to these countries, supporting over 100,000 American jobs.
        Today we discussed steps that Central America's nations can take to
    strengthen our economic ties, including further trade liberalization and
    better protection of worker rights, intellectual property, and the
    environment. We also discussed the impact of the North American Free
    Trade Agreement, which all of these leaders strongly supported. The Vice
    President is leaving this afternoon for Mexico where he will deliver a
    major address on American engagement in Latin America. This morning we
    agreed that NAFTA's historic passage can serve as a catalyst for the
    expansion of free trade to other market democracies throughout the
    hemisphere, something I have long supported. And we shared concerns
    about NAFTA's potential short-term effects on the flow of trade and
    investment to Central America. I pledged that my administration will
    work with Congress and Central American governments to design
    affirmative strategies to stimulate regional trade.
        As our economic relationship evolves, so must the nature of the
    United States support for economic development in Central America. We
    will continue bilateral aid programs. At the same time, the region's
    rising creditworthiness has allowed international financial institutions
    to increase their role, and we strongly support that. We will work to
    develop a new, more mature economic partnership with Central America
    based on trade expansion, multilateral support for economic reforms, and
    better coordination

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    of bilateral and multilateral aid programs.
        These leaders today have told us that they seek to work together to
    become a model region for sustainable development. And we are prepared
    to work with them in that enterprise. I can think of no more important
    common endeavor.
        With the elections of the last several years, democracy has taken
    root in Central America's rugged terrain. Now the challenge facing this
    region is to build democratic institutions that endure, that are honest,
    that are responsive, that are effective. We are prepared to work closely
    with Central America to promote reform in the judiciary, the civil
    service, education, and health care. Good governance will advance our
    mutual objectives to bolster democracy, promote social opportunity, and
    clear the path for freer trade.
        Just a few years ago, this morning's meeting would have been
    literally unthinkable. Now, in the midst of this great progress, it
    would be unthinkable for us not to meet. The prosperity and security of
    this hemisphere which we share depends more than ever on our continued
    cooperation.
        It is now my honor to introduce President De Leon, who will also
    speak for his fellow Central American leaders.
        Mr. President.
        President De Leon. Thank you very much. Good morning. At this time
    of great and transcendental changes in the world order, in Central
    America, in the United States, and especially in our reciprocal
    relations, today we just had a Presidential meeting which we consider
    not only a very pleasant one but an extremely constructive one. We were
    able to exchange with President Clinton, whom we would like to thank for
    his invitation, our points of view on issues and problems of great
    importance having to do with our bilateral relationship as well as
    recent events in Central America on the one hand and in the United
    States on the other hand.
        I would like to summarize what we have discussed as follows. As far
    as democracy and governance, first of all we underscored the efforts
    made in our region for the consolidation of pluralistic and
    participatory systems, giving special priority to respect for
    individual, civil, and political human rights, which has allowed great
    progress in the recent years in the solution of the great conflicts we
    have.
        We showed that we Central American countries continue to work to
    achieve true participatory democracy involving growth with social
    justice and without confrontation and that solidarity and dialog are
    essential principles to which we are giving priority as the
    underpinnings of the strengthening of our democracies.
        As to economic and social development and the fight against poverty,
    on these points we said to President Clinton that the magnitude of the
    problem of poverty in our countries is of great importance. It is a
    problem which will have to be solved with political will and solidarity.
    The fight against poverty, we said, is not just a matter of supporting
    social welfare investment, but it is a matter of supporting productive
    investment through private investment, supporting the productive sector,
    and supporting the insertion of our economies into the world market. We
    have to fight the scourge of poverty through consistent management of
    our economic and our social policies. We told the President that we are
    emerging with great difficulty and with degrees of difference from one
    country to the other, emerging from a deep and prolonged recession which
    punished those least able to defend themselves especially, badly. I am
    talking here about the poorest of the poor.
        As far as economic adjustment is concerned, with great optimism we
    said to the President that we Central Americans are now looking toward
    the future with a positive vision. We are transforming antiquated
    schemes. And now the societies realize that they have to assume costs
    but in an attitude of solidarity in order to achieve peace, development,
    democracy, and especially the respect for human rights, both individual
    and economic, social and cultural rights.
        We emphasize that governments must become more efficient as
    administrators and public servants, allowing the state to act where it
    must and generate conditions so that the private sector can act in a
    more decentralized and participatory manner. Regarding self-effort and
    external assistance, we discussed how happy we Central Americans are to
    be making our own efforts and advancing toward positive results, a
    demonstration of which is the recent signing of the protocol to the
    Treaty of Central American Economic Integration. At the same time
    though, we recalled that these internal efforts must be supported as
    they have been by external cooperation. And here the support offered by
    the United States has had, has, and will continue to have great
    importance. We also said

    [[Page 2077]]

    to President Clinton that we feel that this particular historic moment
    is the very worst one to be cutting back on cooperation, external
    cooperation. It is the best time to maintain it and increase it,
    convinced that democracy is more than the simple and mere holding of
    regular elections.
        Finally, on the NAFTA and the Caribbean Basin Initiative, the
    Central American Presidents said in this Presidential summit meeting,
    that our bilateral agenda with the United States is going to be very
    strongly influenced not only by the changes in Central America but also
    by the historic decision of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to
    form an expanded free trade area. We said that we applaud this decision,
    which marks a fundamental and positive change in inter-American
    relations, and that we feel that this does constitute a creative answer
    to the emerging international reordering. We also considered, we said,
    that NAFTA implies the need for the Central American region to redouble
    its efforts and to become stronger so that we can expand to serve more
    competitive markets.
        We made two proposals to President Clinton. First of all, we
    expressed to him our great interest in initiating consultations to
    incorporate the Central American countries into the North American Free
    Trade Agreement and, at the same time, that the real possibilities be
    considered to make the CBI benefits be equal to the NAFTA benefits. We
    said that we felt that this should be done within the framework of
    respect for the environment. And we had a very favorable response to our
    suggestion that Central America should become a model area of
    sustainable development in the environmental framework. We have taken
    the political decision to suggest this, and President Clinton has
    decided to give this idea his backing.
        We also said that we would be very appreciative for any support and
    backing that the U.S. Government could give to the negotiations within
    the framework of the Uruguay round to expand liberalization of world
    trade for products of interest to us. We are grateful for the efforts
    that the United States has made to increase our access to the European
    Common Market, and we are hoping that there will be a negotiated
    solution with the EC.
        Finally, and given the welcome and the interest which was so
    emphatically shown by President Clinton to the regional proposals we
    made, the Presidents of the Central American region wish to repeat here
    our satisfaction at the fruitfulness and constructive nature of this
    meeting. And we have decided to set up a high-level commission among us
    to follow up the process of incorporation of Central America into the
    North American Free Trade Agreement. This constitutes a very important
    way to combat poverty in Central America and thus achieve peace and
    consolidate democracy and development with social equity for the entire
    Central American isthmus.
        Thank you.

    Nicaragua and El Salvador

        Q. Could you discuss the loosening aid to Nicaragua? And also did
    you discuss the emergence of death squads in El Salvador?
        President Clinton. We discussed the aid to Nicaragua issue very
    briefly. I have decided just in the last couple of days to approve the
    release of the aid from FY '93 because of the significant progress made
    in Nicaragua in asserting civilian control over the military and in
    trying to resolve some American property claims and on a number of other
    issues there. So I feel good about that.
        With regard to El Salvador, what we basically discussed was the
    continuation of the democratic process and the upcoming elections and
    the hope that the recent violence there would not in any way interrupt
    that. And I feel comfortable that they are proceeding along that path.
        What I'd like to do is to try to alternate questions and take a
    question from people representing Central American press and then go
    back to the American press and go back and forth, if I could.
        Yes, in the back.

    Central America and NAFTA

        Q. Mr. President, as the President of Guatemala has said Central
    American countries are interested in having that parity with NAFTA
    because they feel that they are going to start feeling the impact of
    NAFTA in about 5 years. What was your response? Are you willing to give
    them that parity?
        President Clinton. Let me say specifically what we talked--we talked
    about two different issues. One is the question of involving Central
    America in the process that produced NAFTA, that is, an expansion of a
    free trade area to the rest of Latin America. That's something, as

    [[Page 2078]]

    I think all of you know, I have long been interested in and have talked
    about it when I was running for President. And I told him that I had
    asked Ambassador Kantor to basically, when we conclude our GATT
    efforts--we're preoccupied, as you know, with the GATT agreement now--
    after we conclude our GATT agreements and if NAFTA goes through with the
    proclamation of Canada which has to be done by the first of the year,
    shortly after the first of the year, to begin a study and come up with a
    recommendation to me about how to proceed with reference to the rest of
    Latin America in the free trade process.
        Now secondly, the other issue we discussed was a narrower one, and
    that is, how can we make sure that the NAFTA agreement, as it begins to
    be implemented, does not hurt the Caribbean countries who are in the
    Caribbean Basin Initiative? That is, neither Mexico nor the United
    States and certainly not Canada ever intended for there to be a transfer
    of investment from the Caribbean to Mexico, just a simple shift. That
    would defeat the whole purpose of what we're trying to do here in
    growing the area. So we are looking into now what we can do on a shorter
    term basis to just make sure that doesn't happen. As I said, that was
    never any part of Mexico's strategy or interest, never any part of the
    United States. So I think we'll have a more near-term recommendation on
    that regard.

    Salman Rushdie

        Q. Mr. President, many Muslims, including some who support the
    United States, are upset about your meeting with author Salman Rushdie.
    Was there any advice from the State Department or others that there were
    risks involved in this meeting? And do you think that it might undercut
    support for the Middle East peace process?
        President Clinton. To be frank, there was some division among our
    people about whether I should see Mr. Rushdie when he was here. He met
    with Mr. Lake, and then I was over in the Old Executive Office Building,
    and Mr. Lake brought him over there so I could see him and shake hands
    with him. We visited probably for a couple of minutes. And there was
    some--because our view of the first amendment and free speech is
    different from that held by many Muslims throughout the world, including
    many who are our friends. I understand that.
        I did it to make the point not that I agree with the attacks on
    Islam in the book that Mr. Rushdie wrote but that in our country and in
    the countries who respect freedom of speech, freedom of speech includes
    especially the willingness to respect without threatening the life of or
    the rights of people who write things that we do not agree with. Indeed,
    for a Westerner, I have tried for more than 20 years now to study and
    have an appreciation of Islam. And I respect the religion, and I respect
    the culture enormously. So I mean no disrespect to the people who have
    that religious faith. But I do think it's important that here in the
    United States we reaffirm our commitment to protect the physical well-
    being and the right to speak of those with whom we may intensely
    disagree. That's what our Constitution does. So I hope that I will not
    be misunderstood. I believe I made the right decision.
        Yes, ma'am.

    Aid to Central America

        Q. Mr. President, you mentioned that one of the programs will
    include multilateral aid to Central America. However, the AID budget has
    been substantially cut and will continue to be cut in the future. What
    has been your commitment in this regard to the nations of Central
    America?
        President Clinton. First of all, let's discuss that. The AID budget
    was cut in the last budget cycle. And we are basically in a 5-year
    period now where we've committed not to increase Federal discretionary
    spending even for inflation. So there will be a cut of all spending
    relative to inflation, which means if we want to increase one area of
    our spending, we have to cut something else proportionately. And I'm
    going now into a series of meetings--I had my first one yesterday--on
    next year's budget, which will require us to make some difficult
    decisions.
        What I said to the leaders was I would do my best to maintain some
    level of bilateral assistance but that the United States would try to
    make sure that the multilateral aid offset whatever cuts we had in
    bilateral assistance, number one, and number two, that I would do my
    best to strengthen the economic relationship between the United States
    and these nations in the hope that increasing trade and investment would
    do far more than bilateral aid ever could anyway to strengthen the long-
    term

    [[Page 2079]]

    economic well-being of the two nations.
        Thank you very much.

    Trade, Development, and Democracy

    [At this point, a question was asked in Spanish, and a translation was
    not provided.]

        President De Leon. As I said, in addition to being a very pleasant
    meeting, it was an extremely fruitful one. Our proposals were welcomed
    very forthrightly by the U.S. side. And we had the hope, because of the
    interest that President Clinton showed in our presentations, that we
    would be able to do something concrete on two areas in particular: one,
    in connection with a free trade expansion to Central America, and
    secondly, that we could get the same benefits as NAFTA for the CBI
    countries.
        In addition to that, we had the suggestion which was accepted vis-a-
    vis the environmental pilot projects. We think that it would be
    wonderful if that pilot project for sustainable development should be
    carried forward in Central America. This would be great not just for
    Central America but for the entire world.
        For President Clinton regarding democratization of the region and
    with respect for human rights to achieve greater cooperation with the
    United States Government, I would say that we ourselves, we the Central
    American countries, we are giving signals of this advance and progress,
    difficult in some cases, fragile in others, but we are going toward true
    democracy. We have the case of El Salvador, Honduras, Panama; democracy
    has come later in some cases, sooner in others. I never mention Costa
    Rica when we talk about this, because Costa Rica has always been a
    democracy and an example for the entire world and the case of Belize,
    which has also been a democracy.
        Guatemala has had the worst problems, and 5 months ago we had
    another break of our institutional and constitutional order. But we
    showed the world that we have begun to mature in our society. In
    Guatemala we've begun to learn what the democratic society is and means.
    This has been done incredibly peacefully, and I say ``incredibly''
    because of the antecedents in our country. And we have been able to get
    out of a political crisis, which was very difficult, between the three
    branches of Government, with an agreement which was the best one
    possible for our people, because the constitutional changes for the
    first time have taken place without a coup d'etat. The interruption of
    the constitutional mandate of the Congress and the supreme court is
    going to be corrected by the purest expression of democracy, that is, a
    popular election. Therefore, I gave the example of Guatemala, excuse me
    for that, but I think our problems are the worst. And I think that the
    rest of the region also has given signs of consolidating the democratic
    system.
        So there was no conditionality; quite the opposite. What we had was
    total backing of a proposal and a desire for the United States to
    continue helping us consolidate our democracies, fragile in some cases,
    more consolidated in other cases, but continue to work for the sake of
    consolidating peace.
        President Clinton. Thank you.

    Note: The President's 36th news conference began at 11:22 a.m. in the
    East Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Anthony
    Lake, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
    President De Leon spoke in Spanish, and his remarks were translated by
    an interpreter.