[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 25 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Pages 786-787]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of 
Brazil

June 20, 2003

    President Bush. It's my honor to welcome the President of our friend 
Brazil to the Oval Office. This is the third meeting I will have held 
with the President. It shows how important our relationship is. Brazil 
is an incredibly important part of a peaceful and prosperous North and 
South America. I can say that, from the perspective of the United 
States, this relationship is a vital and important and growing 
relationship.
    On a personal perspective, I'm very impressed by the vision of the 
President of Brazil. He's a man who clearly has deep concerns for all 
the people of Brazil. He not only has a tremendous heart, but he's got 
the abilities to work closely with his Government and the people of 
Brazil to encourage prosperity and to end hunger. And today the people 
of both our countries will see a series of initiatives on a variety of 
fronts, which indicate that this relationship is a mature relationship 
and an important relationship.
    And Mr. President, I'm honored you're here with us today. Welcome. 
Thank you, sir.
    President Lula da Silva. I think that it's very important in our 
third meeting that we should make it clear to the public opinion--to 
Brazilian and American public opinion--about the relationship between 
Brazil and the United States. It is a very strong relationship that has 
been in existence for a long period. I always believe that it is 
possible to even improve more these relationships. Since the last time I 
was here, on December the 10th of last year, still as President-elect, I 
went back to Brazil with a certainty that Brazil and the United States 
do have the possibility--can have the most profitable relationship with 
the United States. And this relationship between Brazil and the United 
States should be on the basis of sincerity between people, on the 
reliability that the leadership must have, and not just build up a 
spectacle for the press and for the public.
    I learned during my past life to--I learned how to deal with people 
on the basis of trust. And I believe that Brazil is and can continue to 
be a good partner of the United States.

[[Page 787]]

We have many things in common. And certainly, this meeting that we are 
accomplishing today, this is a novelty. It's not a summit meeting with 
two Presidents, but it's a meeting that has Cabinet members of both 
Governments, so that from this meeting onwards, our ministers can 
continue to work together independently of the two Presidents. And 
without any question, I believe that we can surprise the world in terms 
of the relationship of Brazil and the United States.
    And I hope that soon we will have a meeting in Brazil so that 
President Bush can personally see the dimensions and size of our 
country, that Brazil is not just Carnival, and it's not only soccer. We 
have other marvelous things in the country.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you all for coming. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:50 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.