[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
[May 12, 2005]
[Pages 785-786]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Meeting With Central American Leaders
May 12, 2005

    Good morning. Thank you for coming. Welcome to the White House, and 
welcome to the Rose Garden.
    I want to thank 
the six 
Presidents who have joined me today. We've 
just had a constructive dialog in the Cabinet Room about our mutual 
interests. Our mutual interests are prosperity for our people and peace 
in the region. I am honored to be here with six really fine leaders, 
people who have stood strong for democracy and who care deeply about the 
people of their nations.
    We're here today, as well, because the best way to achieve peace and 
prosperity for our hemisphere is by strengthening democracy and 
continuing the economic transformation of Central America and the 
Dominican Republic. All of us agree that

[[Page 786]]

the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement 
presents us with an historic opportunity to advance our common goals in 
an important part of our neighborhood.
    CAFTA brings benefits to all sides. For the newly emerging 
democracies of Central America, CAFTA would bring new investment that 
means good jobs and higher labor standards for their workers. Central 
American consumers would have better access to more U.S. goods at better 
prices. And by passing this agreement, we would signal that the world's 
leading trading nation was committed to closer partnership with 
countries in our own backyard, countries which share our values.
    For American farmers, businesses, and workers, CAFTA would create a 
more level playing field. Under existing rules, most of Central 
America's exports already enter the United States duty free. But our 
products still face hefty tariffs there. By passing CAFTA, we would open 
up a market of 44 million consumers who already import more of our goods 
and services than Australia or Brazil. And we would create incentives 
for factories to stay in Central America and use American materials 
rather than relocate to Asia, where they are more likely to use Asian 
materials.
    Finally, for the Western Hemisphere, CAFTA would bring the stability 
and security that can only come from freedom. Today, a part of the world 
that was once characterized by oppression and military dictatorship now 
sees its future in free elections and free trade, and we must not take 
these gains for granted. These are small nations, but they're making big 
and brave commitments, and America needs to continue to support them as 
they walk down the road of openness and accountability. By transforming 
our hemisphere into a powerful free trade area, we will promote 
democratic governance, human rights, and economic liberty for everyone.
    The United States was built on freedom, and the more of it we have 
in our own backyard, the freer and safer and more prosperous all of the 
Americas will be. I applaud these leaders for their vision. I thank them 
for working with Members of Congress from both political parties to 
persuade those Members about the importance of this piece of 
legislation. I assured them I will join in the efforts to get this bill 
passed. This bill is good for Central American countries; it is good for 
America.
    I want to thank you all for being here. Que Dios los bendiga.

Note: The President spoke at 11:39 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. Participating in the meeting with the President were: President 
Abel Pacheco of Costa Rica; President Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the 
Dominican Republic; President Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez of El 
Salvador; President Oscar Berger of Guatemala; President Ricardo Maduro 
of Honduras; and President Enrique Bolanos of Nicaragua. The Office of 
the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these 
remarks.