[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
[February 26, 1997]
[Pages 207-208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Eduardo Frei of Chile and an 
Exchange With Reporters
February 26, 1997

    President Clinton. Let me say very briefly that President Frei and I 
are going to have a press conference after this meeting of ours, and 
we'll answer your questions then. But I want to welcome him to the 
United States and once again to point out the truly astonishing record 
that Chile has established in the last several years in growing a 
powerful democracy and having remarkable economic growth and reducing 
poverty. And we are especially glad that Chile has agreed to host the 
next Summit of the Americas meetings in Santiago in 1994, following up 
on the one that we had, of course, in Miami--in 1998, they'll be in 
1998--the one we had in Miami in 1994.
    And Mr. President, we're glad to have you here and we thank you very 
much for everything you've done. And we look forward to a unique 
partnership.
    President Frei. I would like to specially thank the invitation and 
especially now at this point when the relations between Chile and the 
United States are so especially outstanding and promising.
    Thank you for this being an invitation, the first one in your second 
term. And I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to discuss major issues on 
restrengthening our democracy, growth--sustained economic growth, 
alleviation of poverty, and the advantages we have experienced as being 
an open economy.
    We begin this visit with tremendous confidence, optimism, and as 
true partners. And we will be expecting you in March of next year at the 
second Summit of the Americas.
    President Clinton. I'll be there.
    Q. Mr. President, during the ceremony, Chairman Greenspan was on the 
Hill expressing some deep concerns about the direction of the market. Do 
you share that concern?
    President Clinton. I'll answer questions at the press conference. 
Thank you.
    Q. Are you going to call Senator Torricelli? Are you going to call 
Senator Torricelli about----
    Vice President Gore. Gracias. Vamos.
    Q. ----amendment?
    President Clinton. That's a good question. [Laughter]

[At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group 
entered.]

    President Clinton. Let me begin by saying again how deeply honored I 
am that President Frei is here and that he has favored the United States 
with our first state visit of my second term as President. We believe we 
have established a genuine partnership with Chile that will only deepen 
in the years ahead.
    The American people are terribly impressed by the remarkable 
transformation of Chile in the last several years, the growth of the 
deep democracy, the powerful economic advances, the reduction in 
poverty, the assumption of leadership by Chile in the region and in the 
world. And I'm looking forward to building on that partnership. And 
again let me say I'm very pleased that President Frei is here at my 
first state visit in my second term.
    President Frei. I would like to thank you once again, Mr. President, 
for this invitation to this state visit, the first one of your second 
term. We've come here with great optimism at a time where the relations 
between the United States and Chile are at its utmost.

[[Page 208]]

    We are partners not only in this hemisphere, but globally we have 
been working as partners. We want to keep on working together in 
furtherance of democracy and to defeat poverty in the end. Chile has a 
rich experience in foreign trade, and we plan to share that as well.
    Thank you for the warm welcome and for your kind words about my 
father, Mr. President. Thank you, and we will continue to consolidate 
together democracy. And we expect you in March of next year when you 
come to the Summit of the Americas.
    Q. President Clinton, will you----
    Vice President Gore. We're going to wait for the press conference.
    President Clinton. We'll do questions, and they'll be equally 
divided at the press conference.

Note: The President spoke at 10:28 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.