[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 41 (Monday, October 16, 2006)]
[Pages 1769-1770]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement by the United States of America and the Republic of Peru

October 10, 2006

    Presidents George W. Bush and Alan Garcia underscored the strong 
relationship between the United States and Peru, and reaffirmed their 
commitment to strengthening democracy and expanding free trade in the 
region as a means of improving the well-being of all citizens by 
securing freedom and delivering the greatest possible economic

[[Page 1770]]

benefits to the largest number of people. They pledged to continue 
working together toward these and other shared objectives.
    The two leaders agreed that democracies must strive to improve basic 
services for all citizens, and emphasized the importance of expanding 
health and education as a means of empowering citizens with the tools to 
fully participate in society, providing opportunities for economic 
growth and social development. They further concurred that democracy and 
democratic governance are the right and responsibility of all, and that 
an educated, engaged citizenry is the foundation for strong democratic 
institutions. They also agreed that all citizens should have the ability 
to participate fully and fairly in a modern economy, under the 
protection of the rule of law.
    Both stressed the central role of initiatives such as the mutually 
beneficial U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) in strengthening 
bilateral ties while leveling the trade playing field, spurring job 
creation, and reducing poverty and inequality. In this regard, President 
Bush reaffirmed his commitment to securing congressional approval of the 
PTPA as quickly as possible. Both Presidents noted that domestic 
capacity-building programs, such as President Bush's Center for 
Education Excellence in Teacher Training and the Poverty Reduction and 
Alleviation Program initiatives, and President Garcia's Sierra 
Exportadora and ``Internal FTA'' programs, ensure that the opportunities 
derived from free and open markets accrue to the broadest number of 
Peruvians.
    Presidents Bush and Garcia reaffirmed their strong commitment to 
protect their people and the hemisphere from the depredations of 
transnational terrorist and criminal organizations, pledging to promote 
speedy extradition of drug cartels' members. Among the many ways our 
countries work together to combat the scourge of narcotrafficking, based 
on the principle of shared responsibility, are Peru's comprehensive 
efforts against drug trafficking and illegal coca cultivation and U.S. 
programs that provide infrastructure and training to develop a police 
presence east of the Andes and alternative development to people in 
former coca growing areas, giving them hope for a sustainable, legal 
livelihood to provide for their families.
    The Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to a strong bilateral 
relationship and to promoting prosperity and social justice for all 
people of the Americas.

Note: The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
version of this joint statement. An original was not available for 
verification of the content of this joint statement.