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Skriven 2006-03-10 23:34:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0603103) for Fri, 2006 Mar 10
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President Welcomes President Toledo of Peru to the White House
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 10, 2006

President Welcomes President Toledo of Peru to the White House
The Oval Office


˙˙˙˙˙In Focus: Global Diplomacy

11:53 A.M. EST

PRESIDENT BUSH: I am very pleased to welcome mi amigo back to the Oval
Office. I have grown to admire President Toledo for his strength of
character, his clear vision, his willingness to make difficult decisions,
even sometimes when the popularity polls suggest he do something
differently. Leadership requires strength of character, the willingness to
make tough choices.

I admire my friend's record. Peru is on the verge of elections and he'll be
passing on to a successor a stable economy and stable political process.
And that is a wonderful legacy -- the first President in 50 years to be
able to say, I'm passing on a stable economy and a stable political
process.

I admire the growth rate, the economic growth rate of Peru. It's the
strongest growth rate in South America. I always admire this about my
friend -- he is -- he says that one of his biggest goals was to reduce
poverty, and he recognizes that while progress is being made, a lot of
progress, that more needs to be done. He cares deeply about the people of
Peru. He's a man of -- he's got a coraz n gigante.

I have enjoyed working with him. We accomplished some important missions,
one of which was a free trade agreement -- free trade agreement between
Peru and the United States with the result of his leadership and his
vision.

And so it's with mixed emotions that I meet my friend. I'm pleased to be in
the presence of an accomplished person, somebody who's led, and I'm going
to miss working with him, because he's been a partner in peace.

And so, Mr. President, welcome to the Oval Office. It's an honor to have
you back and it's a joy to be with you. Welcome.

PRESIDENT TOLEDO: Thank you very much. You're very generous.

Let me say very briefly, Peru and Latin America are partners with the
United States in more than just a free trade agreement. It's very
important, the free trade agreement, because it generates jobs and enables
to continue the sustained rates of economic growth, to reduce poverty. But
we are also partners in spreading the democratic values in the region.
We're also partners in the fight against narco-trafficking and terrorism.
We are partners in the search of peace in the world. We are partners in
trying to inculcate in the region that democracy is the imperfect way, but
it's the best way we have. We are partners in trying to convey the idea
that being elected democratically is good, but it's insufficient; we need
to govern democratically.

And I'm sure that after I finish and pass away the power to the next
President, Peruvians and Latin Americans do not want to go through this
cycle that creates instability, that does not attract capital investment,
to continue growth, to generate jobs, to invest more in health, nutrition
and education, and to reduce poverty.

Mr. President, tolerance means to focus seriously and deliver results in
what we believe; it also means to have the degrees of tolerance to
entertain our differences. And that's democracy, as practiced over here.

It has been a very productive relationship. I also have mixed feelings. And
I would say publicly, you are my friend now, you will be my friend after
I'm not President, and you will be my friend when you are no longer
President. (Laughter.)

The United States is a market of 290 million people, with an average income
of $37,000 a year. It's a market that I will leave for the next President,
and that means jobs, because that has to do with poverty. I don't believe
in giving away fish, just a decent job and a quality education and health.

Mr. President, I hope that we soon will sign the free trade agreement, and
will continue working for the approval of that free trade agreement in our
respective Congresses.

I went through a tough time, but I'm stubborn. I'm a believer, strong
believer in my convictions. And I'm sure that the wisdom of Peruvians will,
on April 9th -- or May -- will elect someone that believes in democracy,
that believes in the stability to continue on, to build on our
accomplishment, but correct our mistakes; that we cannot go back and forth,
because the poor people cannot afford to wait so much.

Thank you very, very much for receiving us today. It has been a very
productive meeting. I want to thank my collaborators. I'm not going away
yet, I still have five more months -- (laughter.) And we will continue
working. We have done a good job, I think, of exchanging productive ideas
in the meetings of APEC. APEC represents around 57 percent of the world
economy, 46 percent of the world trade. And so, in 2008, the next Peruvian
President, he or she will receive you in Peru as a President of the APEC.

Thank you very, very much.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mi amigo, gracias. Thank you all.

END 12:00 P.M. EST

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