    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [March 9, 2007]
    [Pages 264-273]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With President Luiz Inacio Lula da
    Silva of Brazil in Sao Paulo
    March 9, 2007

        President Lula da Silva. There's more journalists here than at the
    Oscar--[laughter]--although the artists aren't quite as good looking as
    the ones that get Oscars.
        Your Excellency, Mr. George Bush, President of the United States of
    America; the members of the North American and Brazilian delegations;
    Governor of Sao Paulo, Jose Serra; our dear president of Petrobras, Mr.
    Gabrielli; ministers; journalists; my friends; ladies and gentlemen:
        This second visit by President Bush to Brazil in little more than 1
    year is another step in intensifying dialog between our Governments and
    our countries. This is a dialog which began even before I took office,
    when President Bush received me in a visit in December 2002 at the White
    House. During the frequent meetings and phone calls we have had since
    then, our relations have always been characterized by extreme frankness,
    mutual respect, and a constructive spirit.
        Our societies are multiethnic. Many cultures and ideas live together
    within them. They were founded on the principles of pluralism,
    tolerance, and respect for diversity. The fact that our Governments
    respect each other, mutually, explains the excellent moment that
    relations between Brazil and the United States are going through. It
    also reveals the great potential for cooperation between our countries,
    if we are able to continue building common objectives.
        This has been the basis of the conversations we held today, when we
    went over our broad bilateral agenda and evaluated how we could best
    work on regional and multilateral issues. The relationship between
    Brazil and the U.S. historically has gone beyond individual governments
    at the head of either of our countries. One proof of this is the broad
    range of relations amongst business leaders, representatives of civil
    society, and the citizens of our two countries.

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        The United States are our largest individual trade partner and the
    largest investor in Brazil. During my first mandates in Government,
    trade between our countries increased over 50 percent; U.S. investments
    in Brazil doubled over the past decade. Brazilian companies are more and
    more active inside the U.S. economy. They are, alongside the major
    Brazilian community that lives there, are contributing to generate jobs
    and income in that country.
        Ladies and gentlemen, Brazil is proud of having contributed to the
    decision by the U.S. Government to increase the share of biofuels in its
    energy mix. I recall the enthusiasm with which President Bush was first
    exposed in the meeting we had in Brasilia in 2005 to Brazil's success
    story in terms of biofuel.
        Here in Brazil, we have an extremely successful program, considered
    a model, which came out of the investment of over 30 years in research
    and development. It's a program which brings together respect for the
    environment with the preservation and intensification of the food
    security of our society. It's a program which has a major social impact
    because of its capacity to generate jobs, to strengthen family farming,
    and to distribute income.
        This is a field where our two countries can cooperate. The
    memorandum of understanding on biofuels, which our ministers signed
    today, is a decisive step in that direction. Bringing together their
    efforts, the U.S. and Brazil can further push the democratization of
    energy and bring biofuels to all.
        One of the most complex tasks that we face will be to assure access
    to major consuming centers. Brazil hopes that the ethanol market will be
    benefited by free trade, free of protectionism. That is the only way
    that the fuel of the future will be able to promote sustainable
    development. It also benefit poor and developing countries, by making
    trade a factor of prosperity for all. This will be a challenge about
    which I spoke at length with President Bush. We need to eliminate
    imbalances that still constrain world trade and that aggravate the
    asymmetries of today's world.
        I expressed to the President my feeling that we are closer than ever
    to a successful conclusion of the negotiations of the Doha round. All
    should come out winning, with an ambitious and balanced agreement,
    especially the poorest countries. More opportunities for growth and for
    development would be created in the poorest regions of the world.
    International trade in agriculture would increase, thereby reducing
    poverty, generating jobs and income in the least favored countries and
    regions.
        That is why I repeated to President Bush my willingness to
    participate in a meeting in any part of the world to bringing together
    leaders if this can help us overcome the final difficulties between us
    and a truly historic agreement.
        My dear Mr. President, your visit to Brazil coincides with an
    exceptional moment that our continent is going through, particularly
    South America. The dictatorships which our region suffered from for two
    decades are no more than a painful memory of the past. All South
    American Governments have arisen from free elections with broad, popular
    participation. All of them are working in projects for growth with
    income distribution, capable of putting an end to terrible social
    inequalities that we have inherited and which has been aggravated by
    macroeconomic adventures in the past. We are all finally involved in a
    project for South American integration.
        The countries in our region have associated their destiny with that
    of the MERCOSUR and that of the South American Community of Nations. We
    know that integration is the best pathway to strengthen democracy and to
    achieve regional prosperity. It creates wealth and promotes development.
    It guarantees a more sovereign presence of our region in the world. Our
    integration is taking place amongst independent nations, where diversity
    and tolerance are also factors of strength.

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        We respect the political and economic options of each country. This
    has allowed us to make notable advances: expanding trade, carrying out
    infrastructure works, strengthening our energy security, the well-being
    of our societies, and bringing closer together peoples that will be able
    to move down their own roads. Integration also opens the way for
    investments from outside the region in the area of infrastructure and
    will have a multiplying effect on our economies, dynamizing all forms of
    exchange.
        Mr. President, redemocratization and the conquering of political
    freedom were not enough to keep millions of Brazilians and Latin
    Americans out of a situation of extreme poverty. That is why all
    governments in our region have implemented programs to develop our
    countries and to fight social exclusion. We, the Presidents, must think
    about the lives of those people who suffer the most and who, in addition
    to having democracy to elect their rulers, also have the right to
    health, to education, to housing, to public safety, to bring up their
    children as citizens. We all know that political democracy prospers when
    we have economic and social development, when we eradicate poverty, when
    we fight exclusion and social inequities.
        That is why, my dear President Bush, your visit to Brazil--second
    visit in such a short time--opens the possibility for the U.S. and
    Brazilian peoples, and I believe all Latin American peoples, to have the
    prospect that we are not far away from being able to build a new
    standard of relations amongst nations, to be able to discuss freely and
    sovereignly about how rich countries can help poorer countries to
    develop, and more important than all of that, to assure that democracy
    will be the reason why the benefits of wealth, the building of wealth
    itself, and the social benefits that the people need, can fully justify
    the hard fight to win democracy in our continent.
        President Bush, I would like to conclude by saying to you that
    Brazil is aware of the meaning of the integration of South America;
    Brazil is aware of the meaning of the integration of Latin America, just
    as Brazil is aware of the meaning coming closer--of Brazil coming closer
    to Africa, and also the U.S. coming closer to Africa. I think the U.S.
    and Brazil, working together, could build some--carry out some projects
    that could have the meaning for poorer countries to be able to provide
    certainty that people would not see in richer countries, just
    exploiters, but to see richer countries in the world as something else.
        And that is why the Doha round is important. That's why the WTO
    agreement is important. And I see that your negotiating minister is
    here, the USTR is here; my minister is here, and I think that we should
    give them one single order: Come to an agreement as soon as possible.
    Because if the U.S. and Brazil come to an understanding, it's easier for
    us to convince those who are still not participating in that agreement.
        I want to thank you and say that this relation between Brazil and
    the U.S., which is a longstanding relation consecrated by decades of
    time, will continue to be strengthened to the extent that we respect
    each other, to the extent that each respects the sovereign political
    decision of each state, and to the extent that we are able to build
    together projects that can help other countries to pull themselves out
    of the situation of poverty they're in.
        Thank you very much, President Bush, for your visit to Brazil.
        President Bush. I was really looking forward to coming back and
    visiting with you because every time we have a conversation about mutual
    concerns and opportunities, it is a constructive and positive dialog.
        I respect President Lula. Obviously, the people of Brazil respect
    him. After all, you won by a landslide election, and I congratulate you
    for your election, yet was not--had not been back to your country since
    the elections. I think it's great to be able to say a good friend won
    reelection because it confirms the fact that democracy is alive

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    and well in Brazil. And Brazil serves as such a great example for other
    democracies about what is possible and what's important.
        Thanks very much for the trip to the biofuels plant today. I think
    it's interesting, as I said there at the plant, that we spent a lot of
    time and a lot of conversations on how we can work together to promote
    alternative sources of energy. It's in the interests of the United
    States that we promote alternative sources of energy. And Brazil has
    showed what's possible.
        And so, Mr. President, I appreciate very much your leadership on
    this issue. I talked to my country about the need to reduce our gasoline
    usage by 20 percent over 10 years, that we will have 35 billion gallons
    of alternative fuels by the year 2017. I think it's an achievable goal.
    You have shown what is possible. I look forward to sharing research
    between our countries. I look forward to continuing to explore
    opportunities.
        I share your concerns about the people in democracy not receiving
    the benefits of democracy. I think you're very wise to recognize that
    democracy is only as strong as the people feel that the society benefits
    them. Part of the message on my trip to South America--and eventually
    Guatemala as well as Mexico--is to say that the American people care
    deeply about social justice, that we believe in education and health,
    that we believe in supporting programs that help lift people out of
    their current conditions, and we want to help.
        Thank you very much for our strong discussion on trade. It turns out
    America and Brazil have--are in the center of the WTO debate; that if
    we're despondent on the trade talks, a lot of the world will be
    despondent on the trade talks; that if we're unable to work together on
    the WTO talks, the world can't work together on the WTO talks. And
    that's why our conversation was vital, because success of the Doha round
    for the WTO is necessary for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is
    the most effective antipoverty program is trade.
        And so I commit to you the same thing that you have just committed,
    and that is, we will work together. We will lock our trade ministers in
    a room--[laughter]--all aimed at advancing this important round.
        I share your optimism about what can get done, and it's going to
    take a lot of work. I caution other countries, though, that if the
    United States and Brazil agree, that does not let them off the hook in
    terms of making the concessions necessary so that everybody is a winner
    in these trade negotiations.
        One thing that I strongly believe in is that I think America needs
    to be more open to students coming to our country. And I talk to
    Secretary Rice about that a lot, and I hope
    a lot of Brazilian students are coming to the United States of America.
    I hope--I think you'll find it to be a fantastic opportunity to study
    and learn. And it's in our interests that we have people come and see
    what we're like, to have people come and see the compassion of the
    American people.
        We talked about foreign policy in our discussions. We spent time on
    Central America, and one of the messages we will send to our Central
    American friends is that one way to help develop your countries is for
    you to adopt ethanol and biodiesel industries.
        We talked about Haiti, and I congratulate the President for his
    strong leadership in accepting the responsibilities for helping Haiti.
    Brazil has been a strong leader in helping provide stabilization and
    providing troops. I know it's a strain, Mr. President, but you made a
    tough choice, and it's a humanitarian choice, and it's a decent choice.
    And the people of Brazil ought to be proud of your leadership on this
    important issue.
        We talked about Africa. The President shares deep concerns about
    Africa, as do I. We talked about how we can work together on specific
    projects aimed at helping people. And so our foreign ministries will
    talk about specific programs--a Brazilian-

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    American joint venture to help eliminate poverty and lift people's lives
    up.
        I thank you for your leadership. People don't understand this,
    probably, but I spent a lot of time on world affairs, and the President
    of this country is highly respected around the world. People listen to
    him. He speaks clearly, but he speaks with a set of values that are
    noble.
        And so, Mr. President, I'm so glad you're here--I mean, so glad I am
    here. I'm looking forward to welcoming you to the United States later on
    this month at Camp David, to be able to continue our dialog and our
    discussion about how we can work together for the common good.
        Thank you.
        President Lula da Silva. Thank you very much. As we agreed earlier,
    we will have two questions from Brazilian journalists and two from U.S.
    journalists. I'll open the floor for the first question from--
    [inaudible]--from the Brazilian Television Record Station.

    Trade

        Q. How could we believe that these possibilities, these commitments
    that you're taking on to negotiate opening up for the Doha round will be
    possible, since you have a very recent experience in negotiating FTAA,
    which did not work out? So what's the difference now in trade
    negotiations? Will you be trying to speak the same language, despite the
    difference between Portuguese and English, but try to speak the same
    language to the rest of the world that these two countries are willing
    to negotiate? Why is this negotiation at this time different? And
    perhaps your meeting in Washington will be another chance to set a
    deadline for the negotiations. Maybe by the end of this month, you can
    have a commitment.
        President Bush. First, I think deadlines are a little dangerous when
    two countries set them, and we're dealing with a lot of other countries.
    Remember, we can agree, but if other major trading partners don't agree,
    then all of a sudden, we have set ourselves up for failure. I'm an
    optimist that we can get it done. Therefore, I think we need to be
    careful about creating the conditions that will--for the world to say,
    ``Oh look, they failed.''
        Since we discussed the FTAA--and the United States has entered into
    a series of agreements, as have Brazil--in other words, there's a lot of
    bilateral and regional trade agreements going on. And so just because we
    had difficulty getting the FTAA done, should not discourage one from
    trying to do something globally. I mean, after all, there's been a lot
    of successes on the trade front, just not on that particular trade
    front.
        And no question it was hard on the FTAA, and no question it's going
    to be hard on Doha. But the thing that's important about Doha is that it
    is--it really is an opportunity to--for the world to get together to
    help eradicate world poverty. And there's a compelling reason to keep
    trying.
        And so I'm not the least bit discouraged by past failures, nor am I
    overly optimistic because we've had a lot of successes in trade
    agreements. I am realistic in knowing that it's hard work, but it's
    going to require the leadership of Brazil and the United States to stay
    at it and work hard and see if we can't reach a positive agreement.
        President Lula da Silva. Well, my dear friend, Celso, first of all,
    to achieve an agreement between nations is not a simple thing to do. The
    complexity of economic problems, as well as political and social
    problems involved in final decisions, may have extraordinary or
    disastrous results. I think that we have talked a lot about the Doha
    round in recent months, and I think that we are moving. We're moving on
    solid ground to find a chance for the so-called ``G-point'' to come to
    an agreement. I am convinced of the willingness, as President Bush said,
    if Brazil and the U.S. find--both find a point of equilibrium where we
    can make offers to other countries--because the U.S. had an advantage in
    this negotiation. There's a lot of people that depend on the
    negotiations from the U.S.,

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    but they negotiate in their own name. We, in Brazil, have to negotiate
    together with the G-20. And the European Union is a group of countries.
    So you can see that we, in addition to convincing the richer partners,
    we also have to convince our poorer partners to accept an agreement.
        And we accept that challenge; we take it on. We're taking on that
    challenge because at this point, the success of negotiations is no
    longer just economic in nature. It's not just a matter of who is going
    to win or lose economically; the problem now is eminently political. The
    problem now is whether, as world leaders, we will be competent or not to
    decide, for better or worse, on the future of millions of human beings
    that depend on this agreement. I'm convinced that we'll get there.
        Second, we cannot compare what we're negotiating now in the Doha
    round with conversations on FTAA. Of course, you covered my 2002
    campaign, and you saw how many speeches I made against the FTAA, back in
    2002 when I was first elected. Me and almost all the Presidential
    candidates running for office in South America were against it, because
    we believed in the strengthening of MERCOSUR. And we achieved that. We
    believed, first of all, in strengthening the integration of South
    America as a first priority. And today, Brazil's largest share of trade
    is with the rest of Latin America.
        This is a demonstration that we took major steps, and that does not
    mean that we cannot discuss as many bilateral agreements are as possible
    between Brazil and the U.S., other countries--U.S. and other countries
    with Brazil. Concretely, when you're negotiating, the numbers get built,
    and no country wants to be the first one to make an offer. It's just
    like playing cards; every card you put on the table is spent; you can't
    take it back. And nobody wants to make the first offer.
        Of course, President Bush has his offer up his sleeve; Brazil has
    one in its vest pocket; the European Union has one stuck someplace. And
    others don't want to even play. But I'm certain that he and I do have
    our cards ready, because we want to play. So at some point, we're going
    to put our cards on the table, and we're going to see whether we'll be
    capable or not of coming to an agreement.
        I want to say that I am convinced that we can make an agreement. It
    certainly will not be everything that we could do, but will do enough to
    continue encouraging the rest of the world, especially the poorest
    countries, that they will have a chance in the 21st century that they
    did not have in the 20th century.

    Central and South America-U.S. Relations

        Q. Mr. President Bush, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has been using his
    country's vast oil wealth to court a whole new generation of Latin
    Americans. You pretty much avoided using his name. He certainly used
    yours a lot, including saying earlier today, ``Go home, gringo.'' Do you
    think a visit to Latin America and agreements like the one you forged
    today will help counter his influence or just give him more ammunition?
        And to President Lula da Silva, were you able to persuade President
    Bush to help you on getting our Congress to lower the sugar ethanol
    tariffs?
        President Bush. I'll answer that one for him; he can answer it too.
    It's not going to happen. The law doesn't end until 2009; then the
    Congress will accept it--will look at it when the law ends.
        You may want to expand on that answer.
        As to my trip, I bring the good will of the United States to South
    America and Central America. That's why I'm here. I don't think America
    gets enough credit for trying to help improve people's lives. And so my
    trip is to explain, as clearly as I can, that our Nation is generous and
    compassionate; that when we see poverty, we care; that when we see
    illiteracy, we want to do something about it; that when we find there to
    be a deficiency in health care, we'll help to the extent we can.

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        I'm sure most people here in South America don't understand the
    United States has doubled our bilateral aid to countries in Central and
    South America since I've been the President. It's gone from 800 [$800
    million]* to 1.6 billion last year. And I say that not to just brag
    about dollars, but it's a starting point for people to understand this
    Nation is committed to this prospect. A prosperous neighborhood is in
    the interest of the United States; a peaceful neighborhood is in our
    interests.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        *White House correction.
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        And so we fully understand that if there's illiteracy, it will
    affect our country eventually. Plus, the American people have got a
    great compassion for human rights and human dignity. I'm going to go see
    some programs here after this press conference, all aimed at lifting the
    lives of citizens, all aimed at focusing on individuals and how best can
    they be helped.
        There is a lot of investment in the region, as the President noted.
    Oh, for some, that's just a fancy word, but for others who benefit from
    the investment through jobs, it's a central part of their life. And so
    my trip down here is to remind our country that South America and Latin
    America are good places to invest, particularly in countries that adhere
    to rule of law and are transparent and believe in the fundamentals of
    freedom.
        And so I'm reminding people that which is pretty evident, that a lot
    of people know that there are direct ties between our countries. There's
    a lot of remittances from the United States back to the region. Why?
    Because there are people working for a living in our country that are
    sending money home to support their families. So this trip is to remind
    people of the ties that bind us and the importance of this region for
    the future of the United States. And I'm real glad to be here, and I
    appreciate the hospitality.
        Get another question moving.

    U.S. Foreign Policy/Trade

        Q. [Inaudible] My question is for President Bush, is whether you
    agree that in recent years, the U.S. really had its back turned to Latin
    America? And if so, what could be done to make up for the losses in the
    past, in the last 2 years of your Presidency?
        And to ask President Lula, as well, yesterday you criticized U.S.
    subsidies as nefarious. So if you really decided to put the two
    ministers in a room to have an agreement, did you receive any signals
    that it's possible to reduce domestic subsidies in the U.S. to their
    farmers?
        President Bush. Well, I strongly disagree with your description of
    U.S. foreign policy. That may be what people say, but it's certainly not
    what the facts bear out. I just told you that our bilateral aid package
    has doubled.
        Again, I fully recognize that money alone is not a sign of
    compassion or care, but it's money aimed at helping people improve their
    lives. It's social justice money. Most of the bilateral aid money that
    we spend goes to education programs, health programs.
        I'm going to--when I go to Guatemala, I'm going to go to a--I'm
    going to go outside the capital and see our military building health
    clinics. The USS Comfort is coming to the region to provide care for
    thousands of people who need health care. We train teachers; we train
    doctors; we train nurses. And so the characterization that our back has
    been turned is just--it's not borne out by the facts. It may be a
    perception, but the facts certainly dispel that.
        And that's why I've come. I've been in your great country twice in a
    very quick period of time, all aiming at sending the message that we
    care about our neighborhood a lot. And relations between our Governments
    are strong; we have an open relationship; the dialog is friendly.
    There's not

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    100-percent agreement on issues, but, nevertheless, issues are brought
    to the table in a constructive manner. And it's amazing what you can do
    when it comes to solving problems, if there's a feeling of mutual
    respect and a priority.
        It's easy to kind of dismiss the United States foreign policy in the
    region, but think about this: There are millions of people living in our
    country from the region. The United States is a multicultural society.
    We've got people from all over South and Central America living in the
    United States--many there legally, many there illegally, which, by the
    way, argues for a comprehensive immigration reform plan that teaches
    people with respect and dignity. It's one of the big issues that I put
    forth to our Congress, to get a comprehensive immigration plan done.
        I appreciate your question, and I'm glad to be down here to be able
    to answer it.
        President Lula da Silva. In terms of the question from the U.S.
    journalist, he asked whether I was capable of convincing President Bush
    to get the tariffs reduced. If I were able to--if I had that capacity
    for persuasion that you think I might have, who knows, I might have
    convinced President Bush to do so many other things that I couldn't even
    mention here. [Laughter]
        This is a process. There's no difference between--in negotiating
    processes like this and normal negotiations between human beings.
    There's a time you look a person in the face and say, ``I don't like
    that guy.'' And a few months later, they might be your best friend, and
    you were wrong when you said that you didn't like them. So I don't think
    that a country will give up on the things that protect their trade
    because someone else is asking. It's a process of convincing that has to
    take place, a lot of talking. And the day will come when that
    conversation will mature, and then we can find a common denominator that
    will allow us to come to an agreement.
        In terms of the journalist from the O Globlo newspaper, your
    question, today we have a problem of what's at stake. I learned from my
    Minister Celso Amorim that if we draw a triangle, we could show you what
    the difficulties are in the negotiations we have. What do countries want
    from the European Union? They want it to facilitate access to their
    agricultural market for poorer countries to export to them, including
    the U.S. wants to export to them.
        What do we want from the U.S.? We want them to reduce subsidies that
    they pay in their domestic market. And what does the U.S. and the
    European Union--what do they want from us Brazilians and other countries
    in the G-20? That we have greater flexibility and access to markets for
    industrial products and services. That's what's at stake; that's what's
    in the game.
        If we are intelligent enough and competent enough to pull out of our
    vest pockets the numbers that are still held secret, as top state
    secrets, then we will find a common ground. Don't ask me what the number
    is. If I knew, I wouldn't tell you, because if I knew, then I'd
    establish a paradigm, and he'd say that I should back off a little bit.
    So that's why these numbers are held back, though--as a soccer player,
    when they're going to kick a penalty goal, they never say which corner
    they're going to try to kick into. But things are happening. They're
    underway. Of course there's pessimists about everything in the world.
    That's no problem.
        And the third thing I would like to say to President Bush, if you'd
    allow me to say one thing: Over time, I have become more and more
    convinced--and I've said this to my colleagues in CARICOM and Central
    America, I've said this to countries in Africa--that we actually do not
    need to be discussing aid to those countries. What we need to discuss is
    something that's even more important than aid. We need to build projects
    together, projects that mean development, and that after some time, we
    can see the concrete results of the money that's been invested. Because
    in some countries over the years, aid money doesn't always

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    lead to concrete results because you don't control how it's spent that
    well.
        I'm convinced that in the biofuel programs, if we are mature enough
    and have the political understanding and can carry out joint projects
    with other countries with the U.S., involving South Africa, China,
    India, European countries, and if we fund projects to produce biodiesel
    and ethanol in poorer countries, and then the richer countries buy
    biodiesel that's produced there, then we'll see that investments put
    into those countries have produced results and, even more important,
    generated jobs. Because nothing gives more citizenry to a man or a women
    than to know that they have a job, and to take some money home at the
    end of the month.
        I think that's what we could do. And I said to President Bush: ``We
    could do that for Central America. We could build development projects
    for poorer countries.'' Then after 5, 10 years, we'll be able to see
    that something was done there that's generating wealth. That, in my
    opinion, is the real way, the major way that richer countries can aid
    poorer countries.

    Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, the Iraqis hold their regional conference
    tomorrow. What are your expectations for it? And are you now willing to
    talk directly with Iran and Syria at this meeting?
        President Bush. The expectations are that nations in the
    neighborhood, plus nations of the world, recognize that democracy can
    lead to peace, and that when 12 million people vote to live in a free
    society, it's in all our interests to help them realize the blessings of
    a free society. That's the expectations--in other words, a commitment to
    helping this young democracy survive and thrive.
        Our message to the Syrians and Iranians won't change at that
    meeting, that I've stated publicly, which is, we expect you to help this
    young democracy. And we will defend ourselves and the people in Iraq
    from the--from weapons being shipped in to cause harm; that we will
    protect ourselves and help the Iraqi people protect themselves against
    those who would murder the innocent to achieve political objectives.
        And it's a positive meeting, Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters],
    particularly for Prime Minister Maliki and
    his Government, in that countries will now be coming to a rather formal
    meeting to express support. And it's positive because I think it's going
    to be important for the Iraqi people who have been suffering a lot to
    hear from other countries in the world that say: ``We embrace your
    courage; we embrace your willingness to take risk for freedom.'' And
    we'll see how it goes, but I'm happy to have supported the Prime
    Minister's request that this meeting take place.
        Mr. President, thanks. Your press conferences are nice. I appreciate
    the Brazilian press for coming. Glad the American press behaved okay.
    [Laughter] Be careful, they may spend a lot of time at the bars around
    here. [Laughter] Yes.
        Okay, thanks.

    Note: The President's news conference began at 3:27 p.m. at the Hilton
    Sao Paulo Morumbi. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Nuri
    al-Maliki of Iraq. President Lula da Silva referred to Ambassador Susan
    C. Schwab, U.S. Trade Representative. President Lula da Silva spoke in
    Portuguese, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.

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