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Skriven 2007-02-16 23:31:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070216) for Fri, 2007 Feb 16
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President Bush Meets with President Torrijos of the Republic of Panama
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 16, 2007

President Bush Meets with President Torrijos of the Republic of Panama
Oval Office

President's Remarks

˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Global Diplomacy

10:50 A.M. EST

PRESIDENT BUSH: Se¤or Presidente, bienvenido a la Casa Blanca. I'm glad
you're here.

PRESIDENT TORRIJOS: Thank you, President.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I always enjoy my discussions with you. You're a visionary
leader who cares deeply about the people of Panama.

I can remember very fondly my visit to your country. I remember going to
the Panama Canal, and I was impressed by the operations, impressed by the
scope of the Canal. And you told me that, for the good of the world, we're
going to build an adjunct to the Canal. And I said, well, that's an
ambitious agenda. And then, sure enough, as you sit here now, you tell me
it's going to come to be. So I congratulate you on having a vision, and I
congratulate you on being a leader.

I'm impressed by the economic statistics that we talked about. You told me
that you care deeply about your people and you want them working, and
they're working. The unemployment rate is down. Commerce is beginning to
expand. And that's positive news for Panama; it's positive news for Central
America; and it's also good news for us in America.

I appreciate so very much your desire to work out any differences we have
on a free trade agreement. I am committed to a Panamanian free trade
agreement because I believe it's in the interest of the United States that
we have a free trade agreement with your vital country. And I assure you
that we'll work in good faith to get an agreement done, and I will call
upon the United States Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, to support
this deal that will help both nations.

We had an interesting discussion about biofuels. I reminded the President
that I said in the State of the Union address that the United States is
committed to having about 35 billion gallons of alternative fuels as a part
of our fuel mix within a 10-year period of time. Biofuels means ethanol, or
biofuels means fuel derived from palm.

It just so happens Panama has got the capacity to make a lot of biofuels.
And I believe your capacity to make biofuels and our desire to use biofuels
will make an interesting match as we work to become less dependent on oil
and better stewards of the environment.

And so I appreciate so very much your vision on that issue, as well. I'm
looking forward to working with you. And once again, bienevenidos aqu .

PRESIDENT TORRIJOS: Gracias, Presidente. Thank you.

I'm very pleased and recognize your commitment for pushing the free trade
agenda and trying to finish the free trade agreement with Panama and the
rest of the Latin American countries. And also I'm very satisfied to know
that Latin America is still a very important part of your international
agenda, with your trip that's coming next -- and, of course, all the
cooperation that we can have in research of biofuels will help all of our
countries be less dependent on oil, have more opportunity for our economies
to grow.

So it's been, as always, a very sincere and a very fruitful meeting with
you, President.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Gracias, amigo. Gracias.

END 10:55 A.M. EST

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