    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [April 20, 1995]
    [Pages 554-555]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Welcoming President Fernando Cardoso of Brazil
    April 20, 1995

        President Cardoso and Mrs. Cardoso, distinguished guests. I am
    pleased to welcome to Washington a good friend of the United States and
    one of our hemisphere's most dynamic leaders.
        Mr. President, let me begin by expressing my appreciation and the
    appreciation of the American people for the call and the message you
    sent to us yesterday in the wake of the terrible incident in Oklahoma
    City. Let me say again, those responsible will be brought to justice.
    They will be tried, convicted, and punished. We will never let the
    forces of inhumanity prevail in the United States.
        At this moment, the rescue efforts in Oklahoma City continue. And we
    hold out hope that more survivors will be found. To all those carrying
    on this dangerous work, to the families and loved ones of those still
    missing, our prayers are with you. And to all those here watching and
    those who are watching us through the airwaves, I have ordered all our
    flags today throughout the United States to be flown at half-mast. And I
    ask you now to join with me in a moment of silence for the victims.

    [At this point, a moment of silence was observed.]

        May God's grace be with them.
        Mr. President, as the largest democracies in the Americas, our
    countries have a special responsibility to work together, to support the
    extraordinary trend toward democracies and open markets throughout our
    region. Today we will pursue that joint action. We both know it is
    needed to manage our common problems and to seize our shared
    opportunities.
        Mr. President, your own life embodies the resilience of the
    democratic spirit of the Americas. Thirty years ago, you were forced
    into exile by the enemies of democracy. But instead of giving in to
    bitterness, you carried on the struggle for freedom with reason and
    reconciliation as your only weapons. And you prevailed.
        Now you lead a nation that has remained at peace with its neighbors
    for more than a century. That strong tradition of peaceful relations and
    your personal commitment to democracy give Brazil a vital role to play
    in strengthening cooperation among the nations and deepening the roots
    of civil society throughout our hemispheres. The United States welcomes
    the opportunity to work with you in this noble cause.
        We must also work to further the goal we set at the Summit of the
    Americas, to create a free trade area of the Americas by the year 2005.
    The building blocks of free trade, the North American Free Trade
    Agreement and MerCoSur, are in place. Now let us move forward to
    transform our vision of a commercially integrated hemisphere into
    concrete reality.
        The emerging partnership between our two countries extends beyond
    supporting democracy in emerging markets. We are also joining forces to
    stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to protect the
    environment, to fight against drug smuggling, and to keep peace in
    countries that are threatened by ethnic conflict and civil war. The
    United States is counting on Brazil's continued leadership in meeting
    these major challenges of our time.
        Mr. President, you represent a vibrant people whose pride in the
    past is matched only by their hope for the future. Your own efforts to
    bring economic stability and social justice to Brazil are responsible
    for much of that promise of tomorrow. On this solid foundation and under
    your leadership, Brazil is poised to take its rightful place as a
    shining example for all the Americas and all the world.

    [[Page 555]]

        Mr. President, we are honored to have you here. Welcome to the White
    House. Welcome to the United States.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:42 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Ruth Cardoso, wife of President
    Cardoso. The proclamation commemorating the victims of the Oklahoma City
    bombing is listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.