    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [April 20, 1995]
    [Pages 555-560]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With President Fernando Cardoso of
    Brazil
    April 20, 1995

        President Clinton. Good afternoon. Please be seated.
        I am delighted to welcome President Cardoso to the White House. For
    many years he has been one of the great leaders of the Americas.
    Although he was only inaugurated in January, President Cardoso has been
    a fighter for democracy throughout his life. He opposed the forces of
    authoritarianism at great personal risk to himself. More recently, he
    led the battle for economic reform during his years as Finance Minister,
    to reduce inflation, establish growth, and help Brazil fulfill the
    tremendous promise of its people and its land.
        Today the President told me about his economic and constitution
    reform efforts, which are essential to placing Brazil on the path of
    sustainable development. I have every confidence in the President's
    ability to strengthen Brazilian democracy and to advance the visionary
    economic reforms he began as Finance Minister.
        Brazil played a key role in forging the historic agreement at last
    year's Summit of the Americas. Today President Cardoso and I discussed
    how we could build on that success. We also discussed bilateral trade
    issues, and we reaffirmed our commitments to open our markets to each
    other's products. With 160 million consumers, Brazil is one of today's
    biggest emerging markets, and it offers great opportunity for Americans.
        We know that one of the ways we will do this is to realize our
    common commitment to achieve a free trade area of the Americas by the
    year 2005. We have instructed Ambassador Kantor and Foreign Minister
    Lampreia to review trade relations between our nations, as well as those
    between the NAFTA and the MerCoSur countries, to consider ways to expand
    the flow of goods and capital between our nations. One step will be the
    first meeting this June of the United States-Brazil Business Development
    Council, which will bring together private sector leaders to increase
    investment and trade in both our nations.
        On security issues, we had a very good discussion about the need to
    stand firm together against terrorism. We reviewed the effort by the Rio
    Protocol Guarantors to find a lasting solution to the conflict between
    Peru and Ecuador over their borders. Progress has been made in
    implementing a cease-fire, now we must find an enduring settlement. I
    congratulate, again, President Cardoso on his outstanding leadership in
    helping to resolve this conflict. And the United States has been proud
    to have Americans working with Brazilians there to try to make sure we
    bring the conflict to a satisfactory conclusion.
        Let me say that, finally, we also reviewed our common efforts
    against narcotics and money laundering. We agreed to begin a dialog on
    protecting the environment. U.S. aid funds will be increased this year
    to try to assist that effort in Brazil. And our governments will
    exchange ideas on reforming international financial institutions to meet
    the challenges of the 21st century.
        I must say, I was especially impressed by the ideas that President
    Cardoso and the members of his administration have shared with us on the
    changes we need to make in the international institutions so that we can
    get the benefit of the globally integrated markets that we all want to
    benefit from without having too much instability undermine the march to
    progress.
        With our two great nations cooperating as never before, we stand at
    a moment of unparal-

    [[Page 556]]

    leled opportunity. We must now seize it, and we will seize it. We will
    promote democracy. We will advance prosperity. We will do it together.
    In the months and years ahead, I look forward to working with President
    Cardoso to forge an even stronger partnership between our nations and
    our peoples. We should do it. It is in our interest to do it, and it is
    the right thing for our hemisphere and for the world to do it.
        Thank you, Mr. President.
        President Cardoso. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, it was a
    great honor to be received by President Bill Clinton today. I know that
    this is a day of grief for this country, and I take this opportunity to
    extend to all Americans the solidarity of the Brazilian people. To you,
    President Clinton, I convey a personal message of support and
    encouragement. Mr. President, I will repeat what I said this morning: In
    my view, this terrorist act affects not only America, it affects all of
    us who believe in peace and democracy and in freedom for all.
        During our meeting, I had a chance to express to you my personal
    friendship and the admiration that Brazil has for his permanent
    commitment to the cause of peace, prosperity, and democracy.
        I had the privilege of meeting President Clinton during the Miami
    summit, as initiative that revealed his statesmanship and his vision of
    a better future for the Americas. Today, as we discussed the prospects
    for our hemisphere, I had the chance to assure him that the same spirit
    of cooperation that guided my country during the works of the summit
    will keep guiding us in implementing of its results.
        I had also the chance to bring to the American people the message of
    a country that went through deep transformations and that today presents
    itself to the world as a solid democracy, a strong economy, and a
    vigorous and free society. This new country is a natural partner of the
    U.S., and I stressed to President Clinton that the time is right for the
    design of a new affirmative agenda that will bring our two countries
    even closer together.
        And I must say that it was really highly impressive by the kind
    words by President Clinton and by the spirit in our discussions. We have
    so many values in common. We have a similar political will. We have the
    support of our people to work together in reaffirming our commitment to
    reforms, to bring to our countries better conditions of life, and to go
    ahead with democracy.
        I would like to add, Mr. President, that Brazil will support also
    the effort under the umbrella of the Organization of American States
    toward democracy and the specific program you referred to, and that
    Brazil will be always open in discussing the international financial
    issues, and Brazil is ready to assume more responsibilities at the world
    level in order to go ahead with the programs of peacekeeping and to do
    the best of our effort to really keep a world of peace.
        Already in this context of this new agenda, Ambassador Lampreia, as
    you said, and Ambassador Kantor are being instructed to prepare a study
    of trade relations between Brazil and the United States with the
    objective of improving the flow of goods, services, and capital between
    our countries. In this same area, we agreed that the first meeting of
    the Brazil-U.S. Business Development Council shall take place in Denver
    this June, cochaired by Ambassador Lampreia and by Secretary Brown, in
    bringing together private sector representatives. I am confident that
    this first meeting will be a very important opportunity to increase even
    further the economic relations between our two countries.
        In the discussion of the main themes of the international agenda, I
    expressed to President Clinton my view that the same democratic values
    that had proven its strength with the end of cold war should now guide
    us in the effort of building a new international order. Democracy should
    be the cornerstone, not only inside each society but also among nations.
    This is the guideline that Brazil will follow in the meetings in which
    the revision of the San Francisco Charter will be discussed.
        I also had the chance to express to President Clinton our long-
    standing commitment to the cause of nonproliferation and peace. This
    commitment has a very concrete translation in our decision to ratify and
    fully implement the Tlatelolco Agreement and also in the creation of the
    Brazilian Space Agency, in our commitment by the executive branch to
    abide by the MTCR guidelines in the approval of the Quadripartite
    Nuclear Safeguards Agreement.
        The very positive working meeting that I had the privilege to hold
    this morning with President Clinton is only a first step taken toward
    the strengthening of a new relationship that, built

    [[Page 557]]

    upon a solid base of shared values, will be decisive to make real the
    dream of a prosperous, fair, and free hemisphere for all of us.
        Thank you very much.
        President Clinton. Thank you.
        Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

    Oklahoma City Bombing

        Q. Mr. President, the bombing in Oklahoma City has left many
    Americans wondering, if it can happen in the Nation's heartland, can it
    happen in their hometown? What can you say to calm these fears? And in
    particular, what can you say to the Nation's children, who have been
    terrified by seeing other children killed?
        President Clinton. I would say, first of all, that we are working
    very hard to strengthen the ability of the United States to resist acts
    of terror. We have increased our efforts in law enforcement, through the
    FBI and the CIA. We have increased our ability to cut off money used for
    such purposes. We have increased our capacity to track the materials
    that can be used to destroy people. I have sent legislation to the
    Congress, as you know, that would increase this capacity even further. I
    have done everything I could and our administration has to bring home
    suspected terrorists for trial from Pakistan, from Egypt, from the
    Philippines, from elsewhere. We are moving aggressively. Today I have
    ordered new steps to be taken to secure Federal facilities throughout
    the United States.
        I would say to the children of this country, what happened was a bad
    thing, an evil thing, but we will find the people who did it, and we
    will bring them to justice. This is a law-abiding country. And neither
    the leaders nor the citizens of this country will permit it to be
    paralyzed by this kind of behavior.

    Mexican Financial Crisis

        Q. I'd like to address this question to both President Cardoso and
    President Clinton. You both mentioned today the spirit of Miami, the
    economic integration of the Americas. Do you believe it's still possible
    after the collapse of Mexico?
        President Cardoso. Should I answer in Portuguese or English? I will
    answer in Portuguese because it could be immediately transmitted to
    Brazil.

    [At this point, President Cardoso answered the question in Portuguese,
    and a translation was not provided.]

        If you would like, I can make a very brief summary. I said that I
    believe that what happened with Mexico is not an obstacle to go ahead
    with the Miami spirit. The Miami spirit was a result of a long history
    of good relationship among our peoples. And we believe that the
    immediate reaction patronized by President Clinton and then the
    international support to Mexico was a good example of the necessity of
    still more alive spirit like the Miami summit did in order to solve
    problems and crises which can occur from time to time, but together we
    will solve all these crises much more rapidly and much more
    energetically than alone.
        President Clinton. I agree with that. I believe that, first of all,
    that the problem in Mexico has caused severe problems for the people of
    Mexico. It has also presented challenges to Brazil, to Argentina,
    indeed, to the United States. But look at the long run. The countries of
    our hemisphere are moving toward democracy, toward openness, toward free
    competition. The more we work together, the less likely it is that we
    will have future problems like we had in Mexico.
        So, if anything, if there is any lesson to be drawn here, it is that
    we must work more urgently in these directions and more urgently to be
    strong together so that these events will not have the kind of shocking
    impact they had in Mexico.
        Helen [Helen Thomas, United Press International].

    Oklahoma City Bombing

        Q. Mr. President, despite the horror of it all and the assumptions
    that may or may not be true, don't you think that it's time now to warn
    against hatred and violence against Middle Eastern stereotypes, just in
    case, since we do have strong laws in this country, I believe, against
    terrorism?
        President Clinton. I would like to make, if I might, two comments
    with regard to that. Number one, I ask the American people not to jump
    to any conclusions. We have two missions now. One is search and rescue,
    search and rescue. We had a miraculous recovery of a teenage girl just
    hours ago, and we have six special teams from FEMA that will be on the
    ground today to continue this. The second is investigate. We have 200,
    200 FBI agents on the scene and hundreds of other people all

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    across America putting their best efforts behind this. Let us not jump
    to conclusions.
        Then I would say, in response to your question, there were three
    Arab-American organizations which today condemned what was done. This is
    not a question of anybody's country of origin. This is not a question of
    anybody's religion. This was murder. This was evil. This was wrong.
    Human beings everywhere, all over the world, will condemn this out of
    their own religious convictions. And we should not stereotype anybody.
        What we need to do is to find out who did this and punish them
    harshly. That's what we need to do. The American people should know that
    the best investigators in the world are working to find the truth. Let
    us support search and rescue and investigation and deal with the facts
    as we find them.

    International Financial Institutions

        Q. I'd like to direct my question to both Presidents. After the
    Mexican crisis, both governments, Brazil and the United States, talked
    about the need for equipping international financial institutions of
    means to react in those circumstances. I would like to know what you
    have discussed in that regard. And to President Clinton, since the
    United States and the G-7 countries seems to continue to be in no
    position to increase of capital of the IMF, how can the G-7 countries
    achieve that objective without providing the money to the institution?
        President Cardoso. Well, in fact--have discussed a little, that
    point, and it seems to us, I would say, that the time is coming to take
    some important decision in that area. It's not easy. You know, the
    Bretton Woods institutions are now approaching the 50th anniversary. So
    it's time to implement some changes. We are discussing these changes. I
    had some ideas. I presented to President Clinton these ideas which are
    not, you know, unexpected ideas. Everybody knows that it is important
    to--maybe to give more leverage to the IMF to act more promptly and to
    solve these emergency problems. I'm convinced that the G-7 will take the
    issue, and I am waiting for additional initiatives, and Brazil is--will
    be ready to cooperate in these kind of initiatives.
        President Clinton. Let me say, I strongly believe that there must be
    some changes. And I urged the G-7 countries last year, when we met in
    Italy, to devote this year's meeting to reviewing the adequacy of the
    international financial institutions to meet the challenges of the
    present global economy.
        Furthermore, if we expect the IMF and the World Bank to tell
    countries, ``Look you must reform your economy; you must even be
    prepared to have the hard times that discipline sometimes brings in the
    short run to help prosperity in the long run,'' then surely we must have
    some capacity to cushion the same countries that are prepared to make
    those sacrifices against unforeseen and dramatic adverse changes that
    the underlying economic circumstances do not warrant. So we are looking
    into that.
        But I think that it is important for me as President of the United
    States not to commit myself at this early juncture to specific reforms
    until after I have a chance to consult with all the other countries with
    whom we should work, not just the G-7 countries but the emerging
    economies, the powerful countries of the future, like Brazil, who lived
    through this system and have very good ideas about how to change it.
        Yes, Brit [Brit Hume, ABC News].

    Oklahoma City Bombing

        Q. Two things, sir. First, how concerned are you that this incident
    in Oklahoma will be seen by those who feel that the United States should
    not have the kind of far-flung diplomatic and military undertakings that
    it does, that this is the kind of thing that happens when a nation, as
    some would say, meddles in the affairs of others? And second, if you
    know anything about it, sir, there's a wire service report that the
    British Interior Ministry says that a possible suspect in this case is--
    is being, or has been returned to the United States.
        Thank you.
        President Clinton. First, let me say, I would hope the American
    people would draw exactly the opposite conclusion from this. Our future
    lies in an open society, a free economy, and the free interchange of
    people of ideas and goods. In that kind of world, we cannot withdraw
    from the world, nor can we hide.
        Look what happened in Argentina. No one thinks the Argentines are
    out there meddling in the affairs of people throughout the world. No
    great country can hide. We have to stand up, fight this kind of madness,
    and take appropriate steps.
        Moreover, I will say again, we do not know who the perpetrator is.
    Technology gives power

    [[Page 559]]

    to people to do this sort of thing. Look at what happened in Japan,
    where there was no outside influence but a radical group within Japan
    able to take a little vial of gas and kill large numbers of people, this
    having happened twice now.
        So the lesson for my fellow citizens should be, we're going to stand
    with freedom-loving people throughout the world, like President Cardoso,
    who despise this sort of evil, and we're going to stamp it out. And
    we're going to protect our people.
        Now as to the second question. Let me say again, I was briefed last
    night at midnight; I was briefed this morning, early in the morning. I
    know what the status of our efforts are. They are intense, and they are
    comprehensive. But I do not believe we should be commenting on an
    ongoing investigation. And at the appropriate time, the Justice
    Department will say whatever it is that should be said.
        I can tell the American people, they would be very proud of the
    efforts which have been made in this area since it occurred yesterday
    morning. They have been awesome, intense, comprehensive, and dogged. But
    I will not comment on the specific aspects of the investigation until
    the Justice Department determines it's appropriate to do.

    Brazilian Patent Legislation

        Q. I would like to direct the question to both Presidents. If the
    Brazilian Congress does not approve the intellectual property bill
    before the deadline for the USTR to start a new phase of investigation
    on Brazil, what course of action does each of you intend to take?
        President Cardoso. Well, you know, the Brazilian Congress is a
    sovereign Congress. It can take the time it believes is necessary to
    discuss a bill. As you know, Brazilians know, the Brazilian Government
    has a clear idea and is exposing its own ideas to the Congress, is
    insisting on the necessity of a bill to protect intellectual rights.
    Also for Brazilians--at that point in time, there are many Brazilians
    who are urging, you know, the approval of this bill because they need to
    have their patents recognized across the world. And they have no
    possibility to ask the Brazilian Bureau to do it, because we don't have
    yet a law.
        So I am convinced that the Congress will approve the bill as soon as
    possible. I'm expecting for this semester the last vote in the Senate,
    and then back to the House, but the House has only one choice: assume
    that the Congress--that Senate added good things and then approve the
    amendments made by the Senate, or approve the law which has been already
    approved by the House.
        So it's a matter of some--a couple of weeks or months. And this is
    important for Brazil; it is not for United States. It is important for
    Brazil because we are integrating at the global level the economy, and
    we need to protect our own interests through this bill.
        President Clinton. Well, as you know, we have certain laws in this
    country we have to follow. But I am absolutely convinced after this
    meeting today that the President wants to pass that legislation. And I
    agree with him that the main beneficiary of that legislation would not
    be the United States or other nations trading with Brazil. It would be
    Brazil.
        It is important that everyone in Brazil understands you are rapidly
    becoming not only a very great economy but a very sophisticated one. A
    product manufactured by Brazil is now going to be part of the space
    shuttle. You need--if you're going to be a high-tech producer of
    sophisticated and diverse products, you must have a strong patent law.
    Yes, it will protect our intellectual property, but more importantly, it
    will enable you to continue to grow your economy.
        Rita [Rita Braver, CBS News].

    Oklahoma City Bombing

        Q. I know we're quite early on in the investigation on Oklahoma
    City, but Janet Reno has already said that the U.S. would seek the death
    penalty. I wondered if she did that with your concurrence. And also, if
    the United States should find that another country was behind this,
    should we expect military retaliation?
        President Clinton. I must not and I must urge you not to speculate
    on who is guilty yet or what their connections are. That cannot help the
    course of the investigation. Let us wait and see what the facts are.
        In response to your first question, she did say that with my
    knowledge and support. Just a few--oh, maybe in a couple of hours after
    this incident occurred, after we reviewed all the things that we could
    do to work on the search and rescue mission, I asked specifically
    whether the crime bill we passed provided for capital punishment in
    cases like this. If this isn't an appropriate case for it, I don't think
    there ever

    [[Page 560]]

    would be one. And I strongly support what she said.
        We'll take--take one last question--

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

    Brazilian Infrastructure

        President Cardoso. OK. OK, the point raised is that Brazil needs
    something like $70 billion in the coming 4 years just to enlarge its
    infrastructure, and we have passed a bill on public services
    concessions. By the way, I was the author of the bill when I was
    Senator. It took 4 years to approve the bill. And now what is required
    is a set of rules by the executive branch in order to clarify how to do
    it. This is--at this point in time, we have a draft for this Executive
    order, and it is a matter of weeks and the Brazilian Government will
    approve these rules.
        And of course, the Brazilian economy is open to foreign investors
    through this mechanism of concessions, public service concessions law,
    but also we are going ahead with our privatization program. As I said
    yesterday at the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, we are ready to
    ask for more foreign capital in several areas.
        It depends in some areas yet from our constitutional reform, and we
    are moving fast in that direction. I expect for the next months the
    approval of the constitutional amendments as sent to the Congress
    regarding economic order. As you know, President Clinton, constitutional
    amendments requires enormous debate at the Congress, and it takes time.
    To my view, what is going now on in Brazil is the Congress is reacting
    very quickly because they are about to vote the first one of these
    amendments in a matter of maybe some days, and this will be a record. I
    am absolutely confident that the Brazilian Congress will approve what is
    needed for the Brazilian economic improvement.
        That's all.

    Oklahoma City Bombing

        President Clinton. I agree with that.
        Let me--we have to conclude. I want to make sure that I have been
    very clear on the question, Rita, that you asked. You asked, well, what
    if we find out someone did it affiliated with another country. I don't
    want anyone to assume that we are accusing anybody or anything today. We
    do not know.
        On the other hand, let me reiterate what I said yesterday. Whoever
    did it, we will find out, and there will be justice that will be swift
    and certain and severe. And there is no place to hide. Nobody can hide
    any place in this country, nobody can hide any place in this world from
    the terrible consequences of what has been done. This was an attack on
    innocent children, on innocent victims, on the people there in Oklahoma
    City. But make no mistake about it, this was an attack on the United
    States, our way of life, and everything we believe in. So whoever did
    it, we will get to the bottom of it, and then we'll take the appropriate
    action.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President's 94th news conference began at 12:52 p.m. in the
    Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Foreign
    Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia of Brazil.