[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 17 (Monday, April 30, 2001)]
[Pages 644-651]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With Summit of the Americas Leaders in 
Quebec

April 22, 2001

[Prime Minister Jean Chretien of Canada opened the news conference with 
brief remarks in French and continued in English. No translation of his 
remarks in French was provided.]

    Prime Minister Chretien. We will start with the President of the 
United States.

[[Page 645]]

    President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much, and 
congratulations on a very successful summit. I want to thank you and 
your staff and the people of Quebec City for their hospitality.
    I've been most impressed by the discussions we've had. It's clear to 
me that ours is a hemisphere united by freedom. It's a partnership that 
will help us tackle the big challenges that we all face: the education 
of our children, HIV/AIDS, protecting our environment. It's a strong 
partnership. It's a partnership that will help us all achieve what we 
want--is that everybody in our respective countries are able to succeed 
and realize their dreams.
    I want to thank my fellow leaders who were here. This is my first 
summit, as you know. I've been most impressed by the quality of 
leadership. I am most thankful for the generous hospitality each leader 
showed me. I listened a lot; I learned a lot. There's no question in my 
mind we have challenges ahead of us, but there's also no question that 
we can meet those challenges.
    So, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much, sir.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Thank you, Mr. President. And now we'll ask 
the President of Chile, Mr. Lagos, to say a few words.

[At this point, President Richardo Lagos of Chile, President Fernando de 
la Rua of Argentina, and President Vicente Fox of Mexico made brief 
remarks in Spanish, and translations were not provided.]

    Prime Minister Chretien. I thank you very much, President Fox. And I 
now call on President Andres Pastrana.
    President Andres Pastrana of Colombia. Thank you, Honorable Right 
Prime Minister. First, I'd like to thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. 
Chretien, and all of your people for your hospitality in these last few 
days, hospitality that we have enjoyed in Quebec. I think that those who 
preceded me have expressed the basic tenets of what has occurred here 
today. But now I would like to share what President Lagos said--back 
what he said with regard to the democratic clause and the importance of 
it for the Americas.
    We have put all of our efforts as leaders of our democracies to 
strengthen our democracies. And as we have said throughout this summit, 
we must move from a political democracy to an economic democracy. 
Through that, we can seek improvement of living conditions of the most 
poor and the neediest amongst us.
    If there is something that has brought us together, or which unites 
us, or what calls us here today at this summit, what calls 34 heads of 
state of the Americas together, what calls us together is our concern 
for human beings and, particularly, to improve the conditions of life, 
as I said, for the poorest and the most needy.
    And as President Fox said, this is the opportunity to thank all 34 
heads of state for their support to state politics, the process of peace 
in Colombia. Thank you for your support to a political and negotiated 
solution to the conflict which has torn asunder our country for the last 
30 years.
    And once again, as says the declaration, we support the peace 
process. Thank you for your support. And I would also like to call your 
attention to the uprising, to those behind it, to those who are 
marginalized and not following the law, and that this is enshrined in 
our declaration. We can and we will quickly reach humanitarian 
agreements with regard to the respect of human rights, respecting 
humanitarian international law, and especially to not exclude the 
civilian population.
    Prime Minister Chretien. And now, I would like to give the floor to 
President Francisco Flores from El Salvador.
    President Francisco Flores Perez of El Salvador. When the whole 
world is facing a creative, technological, and scientific revolution and 
countries become more and more integrated, it's key that leaders of the 
world understand that the possibilities of our countries are based on 
going from a view of the state as a closed and autonomous organ to a 
collection of open, integrated societies that support democracy and 
freedom.
    And the definition of a new state is a basis to struggle against 
poverty, to respect the tremendous diversities that exist in the 
Americas, and the possibility of moving ahead in the world the way we 
want to move ahead,

[[Page 646]]

especially those of us who believe in principles.
    If anything has been learned from the greatest and most recent 
tragedies in El Salvador, especially the last two earthquakes, is that 
the foundations of countries are not physical things; they are moral 
things. They are based on their strength and their belief in principles 
and in the belief of men, women, and their dignity.
    I would like to thank the Government of Canada for hosting this 
meeting that has confirmed these values, which, I believe, are the basis 
for hope for the future in the Americas.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Thank you. I thank President Flores. I give 
the floor to Prime Minister Owen Archer of the Barbados.
    Prime Minister Owen Archer of Barbados. Mr. Prime Minister, thank 
you for allowing me the opportunity to share a perspective on behalf of 
the Caribbean. It is not only the smallest and most vulnerable region in 
our hemisphere but the smallest and most vulnerable region in the world.
    From the outset in 1994, we were very clear that the exercise in 
which we are involved through these summits is greater than the mere 
creation of an integrated economic area, but must entail our creation of 
a program of development cooperation to support the emergence and the 
evolution of a truly hemispheric community for the Americas. And from 
the onset, we were clear that the effort had to stand the test of 
equity, had to stand the test of inclusiveness, and had to stand the 
test of relevance. It has to be relevant for today's purposes and 
tomorrow's needs. The Caribbean is pleased to be able to say that this 
summit has taken us a far distance to being satisfied in all of those 
tests.
    We are not only living in the 21st century; we are now living in a 
new information age in which there is a great danger of a new dangerous 
inequality caused by a digital divide. And I believe that in the context 
of a 21st century society, this summit will stand as that summit where 
the leaders of the Americas determined that there should be no digital 
divide in our Americas, that the benefits of the new information 
technology have been brought within the reach of all of our citizens. 
Our connectivity agenda is, in my judgment, the most exciting new 
development from this summit, which I commend to the people of the 
Caribbean.
    We are also very pleased that the arrangements for economic 
integration have now been so deliberately designed to truly accommodate 
the special concerns of the smallest and the most vulnerable entities in 
our hemisphere. And this summit has stood the test of equity.
    May I also say, Mr. Prime Minister, that the Caribbean has used this 
summit, as well, and the meetings in the margin of this summit to lay a 
foundation for stronger bilateral relationships with our neighbors, 
particularly the United States of America, Canada, Central America, and 
the Mercosur countries and the Andean countries, and that we can leave 
this summit looking to the prospect of being part of a successful 
partnership in a successful neighborhood of the Americas.
    I thank you.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.
    And now the journalists have the floor.

Protesters and the Free Trade Agenda

    Q. Mr. President, President Bush, I will direct my question to the 
Prime Minister of Canada, but we would very much like you to answer the 
question afterwards, if you don't mind.

[A question was asked and answered in French, and a translation was not 
provided. Following his response in French, Prime Minister Chretien 
spoke in English.]

    Prime Minister Chretien. So I don't think that it is a question of 
our legitimacy. We are very legitimate. We were elected, all of us. And 
when you look at what was the Americas some 30 years ago, and what it is 
today, look at the progress that democracy has made. Look at the clause 
that we have developed together at this time to make sure that democracy 
will remain in the Americas.
    And a lot of people were invited to comment. We organized a parallel 
summit, at the expense of the Government. And they met; they discussed; 
they debated; they met with ministers; there were ministers from my 
government and ministers from many other Governments that listened to 
them. And I'm

[[Page 647]]

very proud of the unions, for example, who decided to organize a parade 
of protest. It was done in a very orderly fashion. They made sure that 
those who wanted to break everything were not part of it.
    There were some hundreds of them who had come with the goal of 
trying to disrupt us, and I want to say a great thank you again to the 
police of the city of Quebec, of the province of Quebec, and the Federal 
police, for the way that they have handled the situation. We could see 
it on TV, and the restrain, the discipline they've shown is an example.
    I guess in other summits there will still be some protestors, 
communicating among themselves on the Internet and so on, and they have 
the right to protest. But we will not tolerate breaking the peace of the 
people. In a democracy, you have a right to speak, but you have to 
respect the law.
    And I don't know if the President would like to comment on that.
    President Bush. Well, let me just say that I campaigned vigorously 
on a free trade agenda. There should be no question in anybody's mind in 
my country that I would come to Quebec City to promote trade.
    For those who question trade and its benefits, I would urge them to 
look at the experience that we've had as a result of NAFTA. Canada has 
benefited; Mexico has benefited; the United States has benefited. Sure, 
there are going to be some who complain, and that's what happens in a 
democracy. But the overall benefits have been great for our three 
countries. And it serves as an example to attract the positive opinions 
of other leaders who came to this summit. It's a positive example for 
the doubters to look at, for the skeptics to see that wealth can be 
spread throughout our hemisphere.
    And we have a choice to make. We can combine in a common market so 
we can compete in the long term with the Far East and Europe, or we can 
go on our own. I submit--and I suspect the other leaders will echo with 
me; I hope they do, at least--that going on our own is not the right way 
to do so. Combining in a market in our own hemisphere makes sense. It's 
a logical extension of what's taken place through NAFTA.
    There are some people in my country that want to shut down free 
trade. And they're welcome to express their opinions. I heard it 
throughout the campaign. But it's not going to change my opinion about 
the benefits of free trade, not only for my country and the people who 
work in my country and the people who wonder whether there's a future in 
my country, but the benefits of free trade for all the countries of this 
hemisphere are strong. And I intend to vigorously pursue a free trade 
agenda.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Thank you.
    Next.

Missionary Aircraft Incident in Peru

    Q. Thank you, sir. President Bush, you talked at the summit with 
Peru's leader about the downing of a U.S. missionary plane in a joint 
U.S.-Peru mission. Your administration has not clarified the U.S. role 
in this incident thus far, so I'd like to follow up briefly. How much 
responsibility do we bear, since it was our spotter plane that 
identified the missionaries' aircraft for Peru's Air Force to pursue?
    President Bush. First, the incident that took place in Peru is a 
terrible tragedy. And our hearts go out to the families who have been 
affected. Secondly, I did speak to the Prime Minister of Peru, who 
expressed his government's sincere condolences.
    Our Government is involved with helping, and a variety of agencies 
are involved with helping our friends in South America identify 
airplanes that might be carrying illegal drugs. These operations have 
been going on for quite a while. We've suspended such flights until we 
get to the bottom of the situation, to fully understand all the facts, 
to understand what went wrong in this terrible tragedy.
    Q. What was our role, sir, in the downing?
    President Bush. Our role was to, like in other missions, Ron [Ron 
Fournier, Associated Press], was to provide information as to tail 
numbers. Our role is to help countries identify planes that fail to file 
flight plans. Our role was to simply pass on information. But we'll get 
to the bottom of the situation. But I want everybody in my country to 
understand that we weep for the families whose lives have been affected.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Next.

[[Page 648]]

Trade Promotion Authority

    Q. Good afternoon. I have a question for the President of the United 
States. Mr. Bush, you're personally committed to the liberalization of 
this hemisphere, but you don't have a broadbased mandate from the U.S. 
Congress to negotiate. What can the Governments of Latin America do to 
help you overcome the opposition of economic groups and of legislators 
in your country? Thank you.
    President Bush. Write your Congressman. [Laughter]
    I appreciate that so very much. That's the very same statement that 
the President of Uruguay asked. I am confident I will have trade 
promotion authority by the end of the year, because I think most people 
in the United States Congress understand that trade is beneficial in our 
hemisphere. We're going to proceed concurrently with that, parallel to 
that, with the trade agreement with Chile, and we hope to have that 
concluded by the end of the year.
    But I've assured my colleagues that my administration will work to 
get trade promotion authority. Most Presidents have had what they call 
fast-track; we now call it trade promotion authority. And I intend to 
get it myself. It's in our Nation's best interests to have the President 
have that authority.
    In the meantime, as I mentioned to you, my friend the President of 
Chile and I will instruct our respective and appropriate members of our 
administration to hammer out, negotiate, and effect a trade agreement 
between our two countries.

Argentine Financial Crisis

    Q. President de la Rua, the question is for President Bush, but I 
would also like your answer if you will, Your Excellency. President 
Bush, the United States Secretary of the Treasury gave direct financial 
aid to Mexico to overcome the tequila crisis and to stop propagation to 
the rest of the region. Given the economic financial crisis in Argentina 
is already spreading to neighboring countries such as Brazil, I'd like 
to know if the United States plans to give direct financial aid to 
Argentina as it did with Mexico in the past.
    President Bush. It's too early to make that determination. Having 
said that, Secretary of the Treasury O'Neill, as well as others in my 
administration, are watching closely the situation in Argentina. It is 
in our Nation's interest that the Argentine economy recover. That's 
obviously in the interest of neighbors that it do so, as well. But we're 
watching very carefully. We're in touch with your government on a 
regular basis, and we'll make the determinations as to either bilateral 
aid or additional aid through the international financial institutions 
as the case merits.
    Q. President de la Rua.
    President Fernando de la Rua of Argentina. The support given by the 
President of the United States and the Secretary of the Treasury is of 
great value. And assistance to our country has come through multilateral 
financial institutions and other countries who have given us 
international guarantees. So this has insured a fiscal solvency in my 
country.
    There is no risk, in my opinion, of problems in our country--this 
transitional problem in Argentina extending to neighboring countries. 
Argentina, with international financial institutions' help, will be 
meeting the IMF's criteria, and is endeavoring in a very determined 
fashion to reduce the fiscal deficit and to ensure fiscal solvency in 
every aspect. So there is no risk of any--that we need to be concerned 
about.
    Next.

International Energy Resources

    Q. I am from a newspaper in Mexico City, and I have a question 
addressed to President Bush and to Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Mexico, 
there is an issue that is of great interest, and I'm referring now to 
the power issue. I'd like to ask both of you, what is your view for what 
would be a hemispheric-wide energy plan? What commitments have you 
already reached, and what would be needed for such a plan to be 
equitable as between producers and the great consumers of power?
    President Bush. Well, first, if Canadian suppliers and Mexican 
suppliers of energy and electricity are looking for a market, they've 
found one in the United States. We're short of energy. We need more 
energy in our country. Much of what will be explored, from the 
exploration perspective, will depend upon price. The farther away you 
get

[[Page 649]]

from market, the deeper the waters, the higher the price must be. But 
the price of energy is high enough to spur exploration activities on 
both sides of our border.
    What the United States can do is to provide markets by better 
pipelines, across-border permitting, welcoming supplies of natural gas, 
regardless of the country of origin. We can work with our friends, the 
Mexicans, in the south, about the development of electricity. I have 
talked with President Fox about that, not only when I was in Mexico but 
also earlier this week, and will discuss this very issue with the Prime 
Minister and the President right after this press conference.
    Part of our issue is to make sure our electricity grids are open 
enough to handle additional power, say, in the western part of our 
State, obviously the western part of Mexico. There is some very good 
news in our hemisphere, at least as far as Americans are concerned, and 
that is that because of technologies, the Canadians have developed vast 
crude oil resources in what appeared heretofore to be crude oil that 
could not be recovered from the ground in what they call tar pits--tar 
sands, and therefore, Canada is going to be the largest exporter of 
crude oil to the United States. That's good for our national security; 
it's good for our economy.
    There's a lot of work we can do together. It is important for our 
hemisphere to not only trade liberally but to move energy throughout the 
hemisphere as needed, and it starts with the cooperation between Mexico, 
Canada, and the United States.
    Prime Minister Chretien. I don't have much to add to that. I think 
that the market in the United States is a great opportunity for Canada. 
Already, as the President just said, we are the biggest exporter of oil 
to United States, and it will increase even more in the years to come. 
We have a lot of natural gas in Canada at this moment.
    I remember, at the time when I was Minister of Energy, we had to 
sell our oil and gas in Canada to our consumers, to give them a market. 
Now we have a huge market there, but we have to make sure that the 
development of these resources will be done in a very effective way, 
that we have assured market. And we do that, having all the time in 
mind--we have to do that with the mentality that we have to do these 
things in protecting the environment. But there is a lot of 
opportunities, and we'll be discussing that later on this afternoon.
    Next.

Colombia

    Q. This question is for Mr. Bush. If Mr. Pastrana can react to it, 
too, and Mr. Chretien, if that's possible. Regarding the declaration 
backing of the peace process in Colombia, Mr. Bush, would your 
government be willing to take a more active role and participate in this 
peace process? And how committed are you to the peace process in 
Colombia?
    President Bush. We have funded Plan Colombia, which is over a 
billion dollars of U.S. taxpayers' money. That's a very strong 
commitment. At this summit, we laid out an additional Andean initiative 
of $880 million, monies not only to go to Colombia but the surrounding 
countries to Colombia, monies that recognize that not only is 
interdiction important, but also we need to develop infrastructure. We 
need to have sustainable crop replacement programs. So our country is 
committed to the region.
    I believe firmly that President Pastrana is a strong leader who is 
doing everything he can to bring the peace. But it's going to be up to 
President Pastrana to make the peace. Once he does so, we'll stand by 
his side. And so our support has been strong, and it's been consistent. 
And we'll continue to support our friend, the democratically elected 
leader of Colombia.
    President Pastrana. Thank you very much for your question. Yes, I 
think that President Bush has--will resume what has been the help, $1.3 
billion, the last year. He talked about a near $1 billion for this next 
year for what he has been calling the Andean initiative.
    More than money, we are asking commerce--that's why we are asking 
the United States; that's why we were asking Europe. And that's why 
President Bush is committing in the extension of ATPA and the 
enhancement of ATPA, to try to get to really some preference that will 
allow us to get more employment for our people.

[[Page 650]]

    I think that President Bush is also very committed in drug 
addiction. I said yesterday to President Bush that a drug addict is a 
drug terrorist. One smell of cocaine in the United States is a death in 
Colombia. So that's why he's also very committed in working and fighting 
inside the United States. As you will know, the U.S. is expending nearly 
$20 billion in drug prevention programs. And he's really very committed 
to bring, also, down consumption in his country.
    And I think that we had a meeting in Cartagena, the Andean 
countries, the ATPA countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia. We 
invited Venezuela as an observer to the ATPA. And we hope that with the 
help of President Bush and with the help of the U.S. Congress, we will 
get the ATPA out before the end of this year. And that will bring us new 
opportunities for the poorest people of our country.
    Prime Minister Chretien. And of Canada, I've assured the President 
that if they need us to play a certain role, we'll be available. There 
are some discussions to have certain participation. And if we can be 
useful, we'll be happy to help.

Free Trade Agreement for Central America

    Q. I'm one of the Salvadoran journalists covering this summit. Bush, 
could you give us details regarding the negotiation of a free trade 
agreement with Central America? In particularly, Mr. Bush, if you have 
in mind a day to start negotiations? If you have in mind a date to sign 
this agreement? And also if your administration is going to give special 
treatment to those Central American economies?
    President Bush. Trade--I'm sorry, the very end of your question? 
Special trade----
    Q. Free trade agreement with Central America.
    President Bush. My first meeting here in Quebec City is with my--
actually, not my first meeting--I had a meeting early--how quickly we 
forget--with our friends from Central America. And we talked about free 
trade. And we talked about the possibilities of a free trade agreement 
with a group of nations.
    I did not dismiss that notion at all. As a matter of fact, it should 
be clear to people that as we discuss the agreement that we're 
discussing here at this summit, that our Nation is willing to work with 
others, such as Chile, to negotiate bilateral agreements.
    And so, I'm openminded is the way to describe that to you. And I 
think the leaders would tell you that we had a very frank discussion, 
and it's very possible--it's very possible that we'll be able to come to 
an agreement with a group of nations that would really make a logical 
extension from NAFTA. So, to answer your question, I don't have a date 
specific, but in my mind is the idea of that possibility.
    Q. Will you support, Mr. Bush, any kind of special treatment for 
those Central American economies in this agreement?
    President Bush. Well, that's what I was saying. I would be very 
openminded. As you know, we're committed in your country to helping with 
natural disasters. It's in our Nation's interest that your good country, 
with its brilliant young leader, be--help recover. It's going to be hard 
to have a good economic vitality and growth without the aid necessary to 
help recover from the natural disaster that took place. But I'm 
openminded.
    Let me just say something on behalf of my government about el 
Presidente de El Salvador. He is a breath of fresh air. He is a very 
bright light, and I've been most impressed by his candor, his 
leadership, his integrity. He's a great leader for your country.
    Q. My question is for Prime Minister Arthur--and before I do, Mr. 
Arthur, you would be happy to know that westerners aren't doing too bad 
in Jamaica. Now, on the opening on Friday, you spoke of special 
considerations for the Caribbean in the FTAA process. There have been 
concerns about the OECD, IDB membership for some of the small states. 
Going into the conference, what were the Caribbean community and common 
market's primary concerns, and are you satisfied that these outcomes 
address these concerns?
    Prime Minister Archer. As I said at the opening, we have committed 
ourselves to being part of the effort to build a truly inclusive 
hemispheric community. And one of our

[[Page 651]]

basic concerns, obviously, have been to ensure that our framework is in 
place to accommodate the needs of these smaller, more vulnerable 
entities within the community.
    We are pleased that, as a result of the trade ministers' 
negotiations in Argentina, we shall be embraced by heads of this summit 
that there is a realistic framework in place for the completion of the 
Free Trade Area of the Americas, and that even more satisfying, that 
there are now clear mandates given to the individual negotiating groups 
that would enable us to be sure that we will translate the principle of 
special and differential treatment for smaller or more vulnerable 
societies into the final agreement that will anchor the Free Trade Area 
of the Americas.
    The Caribbean was also concerned, having participated in the two 
previous summits, about the adequacy of the arrangements for 
implementation. I think we would be remiss were we not to say how 
heartened we have been, ourselves, by the statement of commitments given 
by the heads of the OAS, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World 
Bank--[inaudible]--to support our plan of action with appropriate 
resources and new institutional arrangements.
    But you must believe me when I tell you that for the Caribbean, we 
are excited by the prospect of translating our human capital advantage 
into new industry in a new information age. Nothing matters more to us 
than to be able to leave a conference where there is a commitment to a 
plan of action to put the new information and communications technology 
within the reach of the people of the hemisphere, making it possible for 
us to contemplate a future of specialization as service societies in our 
new knowledge-based global society.
    And for me, certainly, this connectivity agenda that will share the 
benefits of that new technology to small societies is an exciting 
opportunity that the Caribbean surely will not miss out on.
    Prime Minister Chretien. Thank you very much, Prime Ministers. So 
this concludes the press conference. There will be another one in a few 
minutes by the officials of--representative of the regional banks and 
the World Bank and the political organization of the Americas.
    Thank you very much. See you next time.

Note: The President's fifth news conference began at 1:40 p.m. at the 
Quebec Convention Center. In his remarks, President Bush referred to 
President Valentin Paniagua Corazao of Peru and President Jorge Batlle 
of Uruguay. President Pastrana referred to ATPA, the Andean Trade 
Preference Act, and a journalist referred to FTAA, Free Trade Area of 
the Americas; OECD, Organization for Economic Co-operation and 
Development; and IDB, International Data Bank. President Flores Perez's 
remarks were in Spanish and translated by an interpreter. A portion of 
President Pastrana's remarks were in Spanish and a portion of Prime 
Minister Chretien's remarks were in French and both were translated by 
an interpreter. Portions of this news conference could not be verified 
because the tape was incomplete.