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323151036
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Departure of President Paz Zamora of Bolivia 5/8/90 [OA 4729]
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323151036
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Departure of President Paz Zamora of Bolivia 5/8/90 [OA 4729]
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13530-008
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13530
Folder ID Number:
13530-008
Folder Title:
Departure of President Paz Zamora of Bolivia 5/8/90 [OA 4729]
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G
26
16
3
1
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 8, 1990
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AND PRESIDENT PAZ ZAMORA OF BOLIVIA
UPON DEPARTURE
South Portico
1:36 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: President Paz and distinguished members
of the Bolivian delegation, it really has been a great pleasure to
meet with you to discuss the issues of importance to both our
countries. President Paz and I first met last September at the
United Nations in New York, where I was addressing the General
Assembly on making the world more secure and furthering our chemical
weapons agreement. Last February, we joined with our fellow
presidents from Colombia and Peru in Cartagena, where we agreed on
the need to control a different type of chemical threat -- by
securing strong international cooperation in the fight against
narcotics trafficking.
Today, our conversations have been wide-ranging and, from.
my view at least, very productive. We've discussed the deep
aspirations for democracy that we share for the entire hemisphere,
believing that it one day will be the first totally democratic
hemisphere in the world.
I am very sorry, Mr. President, that Barbara is not here.
Right now, she and our son, Jeb, and our Chief of Staff John Sununu,
are in Central America representing the United States at the
inauguration of President Calderon in Costa Rica.
But, look, the United States has been very impressed, Mr.
President, by the tough economic measures that have been taken in
Bolivia over the past five years. A strong economy is one of the
building blocks of a strong democracy. So our economic and trade
discussions dealt with the improved investment climate in Bolivia and
the advantages of open markets -- for both the United States and
Bolivia. Alternative development are two key words -- alternative
developments. Because we share your aspiration that the people will
benefit from these bold economic measures that you have taken. And
so it's in this total context that we're building a framework for the
implementation of our assistance agreement with Bolivia.
President Paz, both in New York and Cartagena, emphasized
the importance of development assistance to his country, something
that the United States has long supported. This fiscal year, the
U.S. will provide Bolivia with about $88 million in economic aid.
And with the approval of Congress, it is my hope that our assistance
next year will increase substantially.
The United States has also been impressed by what Bolivia
has done during the past decade to strengthen its democratic
institutions.
But President Paz and I both know that the dangers facing
democratic institutions -- one of the dangers is this whole concept
of international narcotics trafficking. And so in Cartagena, we
forged an unprecedented alliance against both trafficking and use,
and today we're continuing to build on our comprehensive
international drug control strategy on a number of fronts, by way of
example. In the first four months of this year, Bolivia has
eradicated more acres of illegal coca than it did all last year --
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just in four months. In fact, if the current pace of eradication is
maintained, Bolivia may be able to eliminate all coca grown within
its border for illegal use. That would truly be a brave battle won
in the war against drugs. And we in the United States should give
total cooperation to this courageous President.
On the economic front, the United States and Bolivia will
also sign an agreement creating a high-level trade and investment
consultative mechanism, because we want to help Bolivia get the word
out that Bolivia is a country that deserves and, indeed, needs more
investment. And I told the President that I want very much to do my
part -- we want to do our part to help.
Bolivia is making this progress because President Paz has
wisely adopted an integrated strategy -- an integrated strategy of
eradication, interdiction, and alternative development -- I stress
that again -- to fight the cocaine trade. But we also realize that
long-term success in the struggle depends also on the will of the
people of the United States, to leave lives that are free from the
temptation of drugs and to help those who are too weak to help
themselves. The war against drugs is being fought in the Andes
Mountains and Chaco plains of Bolivia, but it is also being fought in
the schools and streets of the United States. And I am determined,
Mr. President, to do my level best to reduce demand -- rampant demand
-- in this country.
Mr. President, let me just assure you that you and your
countrymen will not stand alone in the fight against cocaine, or in
the drive for economic development. Because we do want what you
want, and that is economic benefit for your people. So together,
we're going to wage a strong fight. I look forward to continuing our
relationship of cooperation and consultation.
And again, it was a great pleasure welcoming you to the
White House. And might I say on a personal basis what a pleasure it
was to meet those two fine sons of yours. Welcome, sir. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT PAZ: My dear friend, President George Bush,
and esteemed colleagues and assistants and ministers, dear friends
from North America and from Bolivia. A bit before arriving here to
the United States, I received a very warm letter from President Bush
where he pointed out that now, more than ever, we should make our
America a common home. When I read this phrase, I became very
emotional, but now after having visited the President here in the
White House, these feelings have become a conviction.
Once again, I am convinced that you would like for us --
all of us -- to work jointly to make our Americas a common home. And
a common home has to be taken care of. It has to be loved, it has to
be nourished, and one has to help the weakest parts of the home, and
among all of us, get results.
I think we are working in that spirit, Mr. President; I
think we will attain it. I want you to be very certain that Bolivia,
because of a sovereign decision of its people, is a full-time member
working towards this common home. We are fervent allies, and we are
ready to give you all of our efforts and all of our cooperation in a
very clear way, in a very efficient way, to everything that would be
of a common interest. And this is why I would like to thank you and
express my appreciation, Mr. President, because we have found in you
and your government a true understanding of what happens in our
hemisphere and what happens between our relations and in Bolivia.
You have understood the sacrifice that has cost our
people in these economic adjustments. You have understood the hope
of growth and the hope of development that the Bolivian people feel.
And you have understood the effort that the Bolivians are doing to
contribute to this fight against drugs. And we are aware of this
common responsibility that involves Bolivia also.
You have given me the honor of citing a couple of amounts
of numbers of what Bolivia has attained a few minutes ago that are
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completely true. And I am glad that you have understood this to make
a further contribution to what we call an alternative development
which will carry forward along with efficient work in interdiction
and prevention.
Thank you, Mr. President, and I thank you for mentioning
my children. Well, I brought them to just come with me, to be with
me, but also so that you could see this new youth that is growing in
Bolivia. Thank you. And I know we're going to have very efficient
results. And this is a new stage to our relationship. (Applause.)
END
1:50 P.M. EDT