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Skriven 2005-11-06 23:33:12 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0511061) for Sun, 2005 Nov 6
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President Bush Meets with President Lula of Brazil
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 6, 2005

President Bush Meets with President Lula of Brazil
Granja do Torto
Brasilia, Brazil


˙˙˙˙˙Trip to Latin America: Brazil
˙˙˙˙˙

1:22 P.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT LULA: (As translated.) Your Excellency, George Bush, President of
the United States of America, and Mrs. Laura Bush; my dear wife, Marisa
Leticia Lula da Silva; ladies and gentlemen; members of the delegations of
the U.S. and of Brazil; journalists from Brazil, and journalists from the
U.S., and journalists from other countries who are also here: The presence
of President Bush here with us expresses to a very high degree the
intensification of the dialogues between our governments.

In December 2002, before I took office, President Bush was kind enough to
receive me at the White House. In June 2003, I was with him once again in
an important working meeting in Washington. We had several meetings also at
international meetings during these almost three years that I've been in
government. We have exchanged letters and we spoke several times over the
phone. Today's visit is a privileged opportunity for us to discuss many
issues in our bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues
around which we can work together.

I wish to express publicly a few considerations on relations between the
U.S. and Brazil in the more general framework of our foreign policy. I have
often said that our foreign policy is not just a way of projecting Brazil
into the rest of the world; it is also a fundamental element for our
nation's project of development.

During these 34 months of my administration, we have worked very hard to
come closer to our South American brothers. We have intensified bilateral
relations with all countries in the region. We have expanded and
strengthened the MERCOSUR. We have created the South American community of
nations. We have maintained excellent relations with the countries of the
Caribbean, as well as Central and North America. We have pushed for very
active policies in Africa, a continent I have visited several times and
been to 14 countries. Our country has the second largest black population
in the world, and we have historical debt to the African continent.

Brazil has also opened up to the Arab world, the main result of that
opening being the summit between South America and Arab countries. We
strengthened our relations with major emerging countries such as China,
India, Russia, Korea and South Africa.

We have not stopped opening new frontiers. The results of that opening have
been unprecedented growth in our foreign trade, the attraction of new
investments, and the internationalization of our own companies. But that
quest for new horizons has not compromised our relationships with major
developed countries such as the European Union, Japan, and obviously, the
United States of America.

When I was elected President, there were those who foresaw the
deterioration of relations between Brazil and the U.S. They were roundly
mistaken. On the contrary; our relations today are going through one of
their best moments ever. Economic and trade relations have expanded very
much, and our political dialogue has gained a much higher quality. We, the
United States and Brazil, understand our economic and political importance,
as well as the responsibilities they imply. We defend our national
interests and our general political values. Our self-respect strengthens
our mutual respect. When each country values its own sovereignty, we are
able to respect the sovereignty of other countries, as well.

The understandable differences and points of view on issues of the regional
or global agendas have been discussed frankly, with no surprises or
confrontations. I wish to recognize how President Bush, his Secretary of
State and other top officials of the U.S. administration, have contributed
to making this environment of cordial relations become even better.

Mr. President, our peoples share common outlooks on absolutely fundamental
issues, such as the defense of democracy, the spread of freedom, and
respect for human rights. We have had dialogue on crucial themes for two
nations that are committed to the challenges of peace and of globalization.
International security, development aid, the balance of trade rules, and
the reform of the multilateral system in the United Nations, in particular,
have been at the core of our conversations. We have known how to emphasize
our affinities. We are two major, multiethnic democracies, with the
vocations for cooperating in promoting full citizenship and fighting all
forms of discrimination.

The presence of a large Brazilian community in the U.S. enriches the
tradition of mutual contact and the admiration between our societies. Good
dialogue between our immigration authorities will be fundamental for
guaranteeing fair and balanced treatment for those who are the true bridges
between our countries.

We also spoke very much about what we could do to promote the progress and
well-being of other countries. We are working hard in favor of development,
particularly in Africa. In Haiti, where Brazil is heading the U.N.
stabilization mission, we have collaborated in emergency programs in the
areas of health and basic sanitation. We are involved in achieving the full
success of national elections that will open the way to normality, in
political terms, and the return to economic and social development for
Haiti. It is also important that the economic aid that's been promised to
Haiti arrive quickly.

President Bush and I have the same optimistic vision on our bilateral
relations. There have been many advances following our first meeting in
2003. The working groups that we created on growth, agriculture and energy
have brought significant results. And we have now decided to advance in
other strategic fields. We will begin high-level cooperation in science and
technology, and intensify our educational partnerships in areas such as
biodiversity and agriculture. In the area of health, we will be opening up
new fronts for cooperation to fight diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis,
AIDS, and threats such as the avian flu pandemic.

Our partnership is grounded on a solid economic basis. The United States
are the largest individual partner of Brazil as the largest market for our
exports and our main source of direct overseas investment. Our exchange has
grown at rates of 7 percent per year. In 2004 alone, we received $4 billion
in investments from the United States.

We carry on tranquil and mature discussions on specific issues that always
come up as part of any partnership on this scale, on a scale like this. We
are working to negotiate the removal of unjustified barriers to our
bilateral trade, and we are working in the same spirit to achieve
multilateral economic and trade discussions.

The successful conclusion of the Doha Round by the end of 2006 is a
priority for the United States, as much as it is for Brazil. We agree that
the reduction, with a view to the elimination, of agricultural subsidies
will be a key to balance in that round. I thank President Bush for his
words of support for Brazil's determination to contribute to development
and stability in our region.

It is for all of these reasons that we are very glad to see the U.S.'
willingness to include Brazil amongst those countries with whom the United
States has a strategic and privileged dialogue. President Bush, what we
leave for history is more than our immediate decisions. What really matters
are those initiatives that take into account future generations, as well as
the need for us to face and overcome the major challenges of our time.
Brazilian foreign policy transcends governments.

At the same time we defend our national interest, we pursue major
democratic values in the international sphere. In that sense, I once again
insist that U.S.-Brazil relations are fundamental, and their improvement is
a legacy that we should leave to those who will come after us.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you very much. Laura and I are really
pleased to be here on our first visit to Brazil. My only regret is that I'm
not able to travel around a lot of your country to see the vast beauty of
Brazil. It's a spectacular part of the world, and I want to thank you for
your invitation to come here. The President promised to take me fishing --
of course, he said, after I'm President. The entourage is a little big to
go fishing while I'm President.

But, Mr. President, Laura and I appreciate the hospitality that you and
Mrs. Marisa have shown us. We're also looking forward to good old-fashioned
Brazilian barbeque. It will remind me of home.

Let me start off by saying that the President is right, relations between
Brazil and the United States are essential, and they are strong. We've had
many constructive discussions. I remember the first time you came to the
Oval Office, and I was most impressed by your strong commitment to your
program of zero hunger. It struck me as not only sincere, but reflecting
your deep compassion for the people. And since then, we've had the capacity
to sit down and talk about issues that are important for not only our
respective countries, but the world. And I want to thank you for that frank
and open relationship.

Brazil and America are interesting places, obviously, but one thing we have
in common is that we are a country -- two countries that are able to deal
with our diversity in such a way as to strengthen our nation. Brazil is a
very diverse country, as is America, and it's those common values that we
both adhere to that make it feasible for people from different backgrounds
to live in peace and harmony. And we discussed those values, the President
and I did. He's a man who believes strongly in democracy, as do I, and rule
of law and the right of free speech and the right to a free press and free
religion. And I want to thank you for your strong belief and your
willingness to stand strong on those principles.

We're the two largest democracies in the world [sic]*. Therefore, we have
obligations to work together to promote peace and prosperity. We started
what's called the Group for Growth, to find ways to develop economic
possibilities and potential in our respective countries. I must say, Mr.
President, I'm impressed by the economic reforms you've put in place, by
the achievements you had made through good government policy to encourage
growth, not only here at home, but to encourage exports.

We're encouraged by the increase of bilateral trade between our countries.
I met with some business people earlier today, and they were talking about
how important our markets are to each other, and that trade is an important
way for people to be able to find work in our countries. And good trade is
trade where people benefit on both sides of the issue; that it must be
equitable, it must be fair, and I'm convinced that's the trade relationship
we have on a bilateral basis.

I know you're concerned about creating jobs, and your country has done a
very good job of doing so while keeping inflation down. And I appreciate
your understanding that free trade and fair trade is the way to help the
citizens of your country. We can have free and fair trade without losing
national identity. We can have free or fair trade without penalizing local
small businesses and entrepreneurs. And the President is working hard to
make sure that the trade opportunities available to the citizens of Brazil
are done in such a way that there's a spirit of -- there's an equitable
spirit involved. And I want to thank you for your leadership on that.

We've got some opportunities to continue to expand trade. I firmly believe
that if one wants to eliminate poverty around the world, the best way to do
so is to advance the Doha Round of the WTO. Now, the President has made it
very clear that it's difficult to get a Doha Round going so long as there
are countries that refuse to yield on agricultural matters. And I heard
that loud and clear. And so recently I made a statement, or a series of
statements, that said the United States will reduce subsidies and tariffs,
so long as we get the same treatment from trading partners such as Europe.
In other words, I just -- if we lower the subsidies, we would very much
like to be able to tell our farmers the same thing the President wants to
tell his farmers, that there's access to markets. And so we made a very
strong statement toward advancing the Doha Round, the WTO. We declared our
intention, and I told the President I was very serious in that declaration.

And we agreed to work together to advance the round. It's in the interest
of Brazil's interest that WTO advance. This is a vast country with great
resources and a work force that's hardworking, and the more products that
Brazilians can manufacture and sell overseas, the better -- more likely it
is people will be able to find work. And so one of the interesting things
that has come out of this meeting is a renewed commitment to working
together to eliminate poverty by creating opportunity through international
trade that's fair -- that's fair for the people of Brazil, and fair for the
people of America.

And along those lines, we continued our discussions that were taking place
in Argentina. There is an opportunity to advance trade, and we agreed to
speak about that, and how best to work together, for example, to be able to
compete with countries like China, or India. It's in our interests that we
work together on a trade agenda -- I call it the Free Trade Agreement of
the Americas; you refer to it as ALCA. The President said, look, let's work
together on Doha and see how that goes, and we'll continue working on the
Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.

It's important for the people of Brazil to understand that such an
agreement will not be done if the President thinks this isn't in the
interests of the people. I've got to -- he's got to be convinced, just like
the people of America must be convinced, that a trade arrangement in our
hemisphere is good for jobs, is good for the quality of life. And so I look
forward to continue to work on international matters and regional matters,
as well as bilateral matters, Mr. President.

I want to thank you for your leadership around the world and in the
hemisphere. I want to thank you very much for your commitment to Haiti.
There's elections coming up soon and the Brazilian presence there has made
it more likely those elections will go forward in a free and fair way.
You've taken a responsible position, and I hope your country is proud of
the fact that you've seized this moment.

I want to thank you, as well, for working on HIV/AIDS with the United
States. Like you, we share a deep commitment to help those who suffer from
this pandemic. And like you, we do more than talk; we act. And as a result
of our combined efforts, hundreds of thousands of people are getting
antiretroviral drugs, and that's important and I want to thank you for
that.

One of the things that I appreciate about the President is he fully
understands that narco trafficking and terrorism can disrupt the democratic
way of life. And Brazil has been strong -- strong in working with other
countries to prevent a few criminals or thugs from disrupting our way of
life, and done so with constitutional guarantees in mind. We always keep
human rights in the forefront of our policy. But we also know that we must
work together to prevent those who would murder the innocent, or those who
would pollute the bodies of our young from being able to do so. And I want
to thank you again for your leadership on that.

This has been a constructive trip -- constructive because, Mr. President, I
enjoy working with you; constructive because you're frank in our
discussions; and constructive because together we can do some good for not
only our own people, but for the world. Thank you very much, sir.
(Applause.)

END 1:44 P.M. (Local)

* Western world

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