    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [November 29, 2007]
    [Pages 1503-1505]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With President Elias Antonio Saca
    Gonzalez of El Salvador
    November 29, 2007

        President Bush. Bienvenidos a mi amigo, el amigo de los Estados
    Unidos, Presidente Saca. Thanks for coming, Mr. President. We just had
    an extensive discussion.
        I first want to congratulate the President on winning a
    distinguished honor with the IRI award. It's a recognition of strong
    leadership. The President deserves the award because he's been a strong
    leader, not only at home, but in the region. The Salvadoran economy is
    strong, in part because the President fought hard to have a free trade
    agreement called CAFTA. And a strong leader always worries about his
    people.
        And so today the President wanted to know how his people in the
    United States are doing, how the people from his great country are doing
    here in the country. And I thank you for your compassion and your heart
    for your fellow citizens.
        We share a concern about the drug issue and the crime issue. We're
    in the process of finalizing a strategy to help the Central American
    countries deal with these issues. And I've asked the President to take
    the lead, and he has been a strong regional leader as well as a leader
    in his home country.
        Y por fin, I want to thank the people of El Salvador for being such
    strong supporters in the war against extremists and radicals. I
    appreciate the sacrifice of your troops, Mr. President, and their
    families as we work jointly to help others realize the blessings of
    liberty and freedom, particularly in Iraq.
        Bienvenidos.
        President Saca. Thank you very much, Mr. President. We've had a very
    broad conversation with President Bush, our friend, our ally,
    historically, in our struggle to build a democratic El Salvador. Twenty
    years ago, we were in the midst of a war. Today, we live in peace and
    democracy and economic growth.
        We have discussed with President Bush about free trade and openness.
    I'm a true believer that free trade generates openness

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    and opportunities for the low income people. President Bush was always a
    strong leader to push CAFTA through.
        We have also spoken about the support that the United States has
    given us, especially on the security issue. The President has seen with
    good eyes the security--the regional security plan that we have
    prepared. And he has asked financial support to the Congress for this
    plan. The President is showing a great identification with Mexico and
    Central America, which is also important for the stability in the United
    States.
        We have also spoken about the Millennium Account. El Salvador is on
    the right track. We're improving our indicators. We're investing in our
    people. We're improving public security. And El Salvador is one of the
    countries with the greatest level of freedom in all Latin America. Our
    country, although small, has an investment great. And this is very
    important because we have built this along 18 years of hard work because
    no good results can come overnight. El Salvador is a society that is in
    its building a democratic society, open--in midst of a Latin America
    that is filled up with populism today. To continue on this path is the
    most adequate thing we can do.
        I want to express my appreciation to President Bush for his support
    to my fellow men with the TPS. We have 240,000 Salvadorans that have
    been benefited with the TPS, thanks to the direct support of President
    Bush. And today we have spoken of how important it is for my people to
    be legally living here in this country.
        I have also invited him to visit El Salvador, and he has promised me
    to be there very soon. So we're going to set up a date for that
    important visit.
        The United States has in Central America a region that is very
    stable after the democratic construction. We have spoken about all the
    important issues, such as the fight against drug activity, the FOL that
    we have in El Salvador to fight drug trafficking that has allowed all
    the countries of Central America to capture large amounts of the drugs.
    And the Minister Figueroa, the Minister of Security, has talked to
    President Bush about the regional transnational center against gangs. El
    Salvador is working very well with the FBI and with all Central America.
    There is no doubt that the regional plan is going to be a complete
    success.
        I have reiterated to President Bush that we share our criteria on
    freedom, on democracy. And he is a very strong ally of El Salvador. It
    is important for El Salvador to remain democratic, making its people
    grow, without populism and, of course, with great government
    responsibility. The United States has been our partner and our friend.
        So thank you very much, Mr. President.
        President Bush. Si. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:56 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Saca referred to Minister of Public Security and
    Justice Rene Figueroa. President Saca spoke in Spanish, 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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