[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 42 (Monday, October 20, 1997)]
[Pages 1556-1557]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Signing Ceremony for the United States-Venezuela 
Agreements in Caracas

October 13, 1997

    President Caldera, Foreign Minister Rivas, Energy Minister Arrieta, 
Dr. Tablante, Sec

[[Page 1557]]

retary Pena, Secretary Albright, Special Envoy McLarty, to all the 
Venezuelan and American officials here, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. 
President, our hemisphere is coming together in a spirit of mutual 
respect and equality rooted in democracy, which you have championed for 
so long. And now we can become a stronghold for security and prosperity, 
and an example to the world that market democracies can deliver for all 
our people. These agreements on energy and counternarcotics are 
practical results of the partnership between the United States and 
Venezuela, which is strong and growing stronger.
    Last year Venezuela became the United States' number one supplier of 
foreign oil. But for the last 80 years, Venezuela has been a rock of 
stability, staying out of the oil embargo, stepping in to boost 
production in moments of crisis from World War II to the Gulf war. The 
investments we have made in each other's energy sectors have created 
good jobs and spurred innovation in both our countries. The people of 
the United States are grateful for the benefits of our modern 
partnership.
    Today's energy agreement will strengthen that partnership for 
tomorrow, helping us to provide cleaner energy from more sources to more 
people more efficiently. Let me thank Secretary Pena and Minister 
Arrieta for their hard work and their teamwork in getting this done, and 
for the example of leadership they set for our entire hemisphere.
    The Alliance Against Drugs we embrace today also enhances our 
partnership and our future. For throughout the Americas, drugs threaten 
the very fabric of civil society. They destroy lives. They spread 
violence to our streets and playgrounds. They corrupt and kill law 
enforcement officials. They create instability that can sweep across 
borders. Drugs are not simply a problem for the United States or for 
Venezuela; they are our common problem, and we must fight back together.
    In the United States we are working hard to reduce demand, with the 
largest antidrug effort in our history. But we must also be relentless 
in attacking supply. The Alliance Against Drugs is an important step 
forward. New equipment and training for Venezuela's drug fighters, 
including patrol boats and surveillance planes; deeper cooperation 
between our law enforcement communities to speed prosecutions and 
extraditions; a Joint Intelligence Coordination center to share 
information and coordinate antidrug operations: each of these 
initiatives will make us stronger in the fight against drugs, and our 
children safer for the future.
    Mr. President, Minister Rivas, Dr. Tablante, Secretary Albright, 
General McCaffrey, thank you for making the United States-Venezuela 
Alliance Against Drugs a reality. And let me thank all of you here for 
taking the partnership between our two countries into the 21st century.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. at Miraflores Palace. In his 
remarks, he referred to Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel 
Angel Burelli Rivas; Minister of Energy and Mines Erwin Jose Arrieta; 
and Dr. Carlos Tablante, Minister of State, and President, National 
Commission Against Illicit Drug Use.