[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[March 10, 2006]
[Pages 456-457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following Discussions With President Alejandro Toledo of Peru
March 10, 2006

    President Bush. I am very pleased to welcome mi amigo back to the 
Oval Office. I have grown to admire President Toledo for his strength of 
character, his clear vision, his willingness to make difficult 
decisions, even sometimes when the popularity polls suggest he do 
something differently. Leadership requires strength of character, the 
willingness to make tough choices.
    I admire my friend's record. Peru is on the verge of elections, and 
he'll be passing on to a successor a stable economy and stable political 
process. And that is a wonderful legacy--the first President in 50 years 
to be able to say, ``I'm passing on a stable economy and a stable 
political process.''
    I admire the growth rate, the economic growth rate of Peru. It's the 
strongest growth rate in South America. I always admire this about my 
friend--he is--he says that one of his biggest goals was to reduce 
poverty, and he recognizes that while progress is being made--a lot of 
progress--that more needs to be done. He cares deeply about the people 
of Peru. He's a man of--he's got a corazon gigante.
    I have enjoyed working with him. We accomplished some important 
missions, one of which was a free trade agreement between Peru and the 
United States was the result of his leadership and his vision.
    And so it's with mixed emotions that I meet my friend. I'm pleased 
to be in the presence of an accomplished person, somebody who's led, and 
I'm going to miss working with him, because he's been a partner in 
peace.
    And so, Mr. President, welcome to the Oval Office. It's an honor to 
have you back, and it's a joy to be with you. Welcome.
    President Toledo. Thank you very much. You're very generous.
    Let me say very briefly, Peru and Latin America are partners with 
the United States in more than just a free trade agreement. It's very 
important, the free trade agreement, because it generates jobs and 
enables to continue the sustained rates of economic growth, to reduce 
poverty. But we are also partners in spreading the democratic values in 
the region. We're also partners in the fight against narcotrafficking 
and terrorism. We are partners in the search of peace in the world. We 
are partners in trying to inculcate in the region that democracy is the 
imperfect way, but it's the best way that we have. We are partners in 
trying to convey the idea that being elected democratically is good, but 
it's insufficient; we need to govern democratically.
    And I'm sure that after I finish and pass away the power to the next 
President, the Peruvians and Latin Americans do not want to go through 
this cycle that creates instability, that does not attract capital 
investment to continue growth, to generate jobs, to invest more in 
health, nutrition, and education, and to reduce poverty.
    Mr. President, partnership means to focus seriously and deliver 
results in what we believe, but also means to have the degrees of 
tolerance to entertain our differences. And that's democracy, as 
practiced over here.
    It has been a very productive relationship. I also have mixed 
feelings. And I would say publicly, you are my friend now, you will be 
my friend after I'm not President, and you will be my friend when you 
are no longer President. [Laughter]
    The United States is a market of 290 million people, with an average 
income of $37,000 a year. It's a market that I will leave for the next 
President, and that means jobs, because that has to do with poverty. I 
don't believe in giving away fish, just a decent job and a quality 
education and health.

[[Page 457]]

    Mr. President, I hope that we soon will sign the free trade 
agreement and will continue working for the approval of that free trade 
agreement in our respective Congress.
    I went through a tough time, but I'm stubborn. I'm a believer, a 
strong believer in my convictions. And I'm sure that the wisdom of 
Peruvians will, on April 9th--or May--will elect someone that believes 
in democracy, that believes in the stability to continue on, to build on 
our accomplishment, but correct our mistakes; that we cannot go back and 
forth, because the poor people cannot afford to wait so much.
    Thank you very, very much for receiving us today. It has been a very 
productive meeting. I want to thank my collaborators. I'm not going away 
yet; I still have 5 more months. [Laughter] And we will continue 
working. We have done a good job, I think, of exchanging productive 
ideas in the meetings of APEC. APEC represents around 57 percent of the 
world economy, 46 percent of the world trade. And so in 2008, the next 
Peruvian President, he or she will receive you in Peru as a President of 
the APEC.
    Thank you very, very much.
    President Bush. Mi amigo, gracias. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:53 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House.