[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 16 (Monday, April 24, 1995)]
[Pages 664-665]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Welcoming President Fernando Cardoso of Brazil

April 20, 1995

    President Cardoso and Mrs. Cardoso, distinguished guests. I am 
pleased to welcome to Washington a good friend of the United States and 
one of our hemisphere's most dynamic leaders.
    Mr. President, let me begin by expressing my appreciation and the 
appreciation of the American people for the call and the message you 
sent to us yesterday in the wake of the terrible incident in Oklahoma 
City. Let me say again, those responsible will be brought to justice. 
They will be tried, convicted, and punished. We will never let the 
forces of inhumanity prevail in the United States.
    At this moment, the rescue efforts in Oklahoma City continue. And we 
hold out hope that more survivors will be found. To all those carrying 
on this dangerous work, to the families and loved ones of those still 
missing, our prayers are with you. And to all those here watching and 
those who are watching us through the airwaves, I have ordered all our 
flags today throughout the United States to be flown at half-mast. And I 
ask you now to join with me in a moment of silence for the victims.

[At this point, a moment of silence was observed.]

    May God's grace be with them.
    Mr. President, as the largest democracies in the Americas, our 
countries have a special responsibility to work together, to support the 
extraordinary trend toward democracies and open markets throughout our 
region. Today we will pursue that joint action. We both know it is 
needed to manage our common problems and to seize our shared 
opportunities.
    Mr. President, your own life embodies the resilience of the 
democratic spirit of the Americas. Thirty years ago, you were forced 
into exile by the enemies of democracy. But instead of giving in to 
bitterness, you carried on the struggle for freedom with reason and 
reconciliation as your only weapons. And you prevailed.
    Now you lead a nation that has remained at peace with its neighbors 
for more than a century. That strong tradition of peaceful relations and 
your personal commitment to democracy give Brazil a vital role to play 
in strengthening cooperation among the nations and deepening the roots 
of civil society throughout our hemispheres. The United States welcomes 
the opportunity to work with you in this noble cause.
    We must also work to further the goal we set at the Summit of the 
Americas, to create a free trade area of the Americas by the year 2005. 
The building blocks of free trade, the North American Free-Trade 
Agreement, and MERCOSUR, are in place. Now let us move forward to 
transform our vision of a commercially integrated hemisphere into 
concrete reality.
    The emerging partnership between our two countries extends beyond 
supporting democracy in emerging markets. We are also joining forces to 
stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to protect the 
environment, to fight against drug smuggling, and to keep peace in 
countries that are threatened by ethnic conflict and civil war. The 
United States is counting on Brazil's continued leadership in meeting 
these major challenges of our time.
    Mr. President, you represent a vibrant people whose pride in the 
past is matched only by their hope for the future. Your own efforts to 
bring economic stability and social justice to Brazil are responsible 
for much of that promise of tomorrow. On this solid foundation and under 
your leadership, Brazil is poised to take its rightful place as a 
shining example for all the Americas and all the world.
    Mr. President, we are honored to have you here. Welcome to the White 
House. Welcome to the United States.

Note: The President spoke at 10:42 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House.

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