    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 17 (Monday, April 30, 2007)]
    [Pages 510-511]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following Discussions With President Alan Garcia Perez of Peru

    April 23, 2007

        President Bush. Que es mi honor para recibir el Presidente de Peru.
    It's my honor to receive the President of Peru. I appreciate very much
    the President's time. I thank you for coming to visit the United States.
    Es hombre muy amable. He talks--he gives good advice.
        We talked about the neighborhood. As we discussed, the United States
    wants the people of South America to fully understand, we care about
    their future, that we want there to be prosperity in the region, that we
    respect leaders who provide basic education and health care. So we had a
    very constructive conversation.
        The President is here to urge the Congress, both Republicans and
    Democrats, to pass the free trade agreement with Peru, and I urge them
    to vote yes. We talked about our mutual desire to succeed in preventing
    drugs from coming to the United States and preventing U.S. citizens from
    using drugs in the first place.
        The President's got a very clear vision of South America, and I
    really appreciated his advice and his counsel. It always helps for a
    person sitting here in the United States to get clarity of what the
    environment is like.
        And finally, I expressed our country's deepest condolence to the
    student, the Peruvian student who lost his life on the campus at
    Virginia Tech. And our prayers go to this person's family, and we ask
    for God's blessings on the family.
        Bienvenidos, hombre.
        President Garcia. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mr.
    President. First of all, we would like to express our deepest
    condolences to the United States and to you, Mr. President, for all the
    victims that died in Virginia Tech. A Peruvian student lost his life
    there, and our prayers and our thoughts are with their families.
        Second of all, I am here in the United States to promote the FTA
    between the United States and Peru. It is vital for our country. It is
    fundamental to continue this path of growth and social redistribution
    that we have started in my country.
        We have achieved an 8 percent annual growth in my country. This
    year, we're expecting a similar growth, 8 percent annually, with a 1
    percent inflation, which creates more job opportunities. But this
    growth, as towards development, needs a greater space and a greater
    degree of investment, and for that, the FTA is essential. It would help
    us keep and maintain a strong democracy, a democracy that takes care of
    the poorest and that provides work to the unemployed. It is important to
    show the world that a democracy, with investment leads to development.
    And development is not achieved by becoming static and not opening our
    doors to the market.
        The United States, ever since its Founding Fathers, has had an
    ideal, a mission to the world. In the forties, it sacrificed the lives
    of many young people to achieve the freedom of the world. Nowadays, we
    need to focus on democracy and free trade. And I am sure that both
    Republicans and Democrats would understand that this is key to the
    mission the United States has for the world.

    [[Page 511]]

        President Bush and I talked about our contribution to the hemisphere
    and to humanity, to mankind, and that is the fight against drugs and the
    fight against coke. We have started a head-on fight against drug
    trafficking in my country, against money laundering, and against coca
    leaf production by offering farmers alternative crops, which is a way
    for them to earn a living in a just and legal way.
        I have also congratulated President Bush on the very intelligent
    action he took against North Korea. It could have become a very serious
    problem for the world had it not been for the tactful intervention by
    the United States and its allied countries.
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Garcia. In his last trip to Latin America, in spite of
    some political reactions, which are typical, it has been essential to
    see the President work with Brazil on ethanol as the new fuel. This will
    help us refocus on Latin America, which is very favorable for the
    region.
        If President Bush allows me, I am sure that during the time that we
    will coexist as Presidents, he will achieve great things in the world.
    And he will visit Peru next year. But thank you very much, Mr.
    President, for the relationship we have of friendship. You are a very
    nice person, and I'm sure that our relationship will continue to grow.
        Thank you very much.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:06 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Garcia spoke in Spanish, and his remarks were
    translated by an interpreter. The Office of the Press Secretary also
    released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.