For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 30, 2001
Remarks by President Bush and President Cardoso of Brazil in Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
2:15 P.M. EST
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all for
coming. It's my honor to welcome our friend from
Brazil. Mr. President, we are honored -- we're honored to
have you here. We've got a lot in common. Brazil
is a vast nation. It's a democracy. It's a
country with a huge economic potential. It's a government
run by a good man.
We've had a good, frank discussion about a lot
of subjects. There's no question in my mind that we'll have
good relations over the next years. And there's no question in my mind
that as we cooperate together, the people of both our countries will
benefit.
We've discussed a lot of topics, including
trade. We've agreed to work closely together to see if we
can't come up with a way for our nations to continue to interface with
each other. This country invests a lot of money in Brazil,
because Brazil's a safe place to invest money. And we're
going to keep it that way, keep our relationship strong. So
Mr. President, welcome, glad to have you here.
PRESIDENT CARDOSO: Thank you very
much sir. Let me say that I am very glad to be here, be with
you. I knew your father. Now I'm very glad to see
the way you are. As I said yesterday, I will put -- take out
my glasses to see your eyes, because you said that you would like to
see my eyes directly.
PRESIDENT BUSH: That's
right. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT CARDOSO: I must say that
it was a very pleasant conversation about several
issues. And I do agree with you, sir, on the sense that
Brazil and the United States have to be close, and close not just in
terms of trade, but in terms of the hemisphere in general, in terms of
security, in terms of democracy. We have shared values; so
why not work together?
And also because we know our responsibilities
across the world. We know that the world is uneven, and it's
necessary to work -- to do a lot of things to offer more perspective to
the world, to the hemisphere, to Africa and other parts. And
the United States and Brazil can work together. We will work
together. I also see that you are a very
informal kind of people, as I am, so I am very glad.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT CARDOSO: If you allow me
now, I speak a little bit in Portuguese because there are lots of
Brazilians over there.
(Remarks in Portuguese.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: We'll have one
question from the American press, one question from the Brazilian
press, and then everybody can go home for the weekend.
Q Mr. President, there
seems to be an effort underway in Belgrade to arrest Mr.
Milosevic. Does the United States support
this? Will the United States contribute in any way to
getting it done? What do you think should happen to him?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, we've always
said that Mr. Milosevic ought to be brought to justice. I
had a visit with the Secretary of State about this very
matter. We're watching it very carefully. We will
cooperate in any way that we're asked to do so.
Q Mr. President, in
terms of trade, have you, Mr. President, President Cardoso and
President Bush, have you been able -- do you think that you are going
to be able to bridge the differences between the two
countries? Are you ready as free traders to fight the
protectionists in each of your respective countries?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Absolutely, we can
work together. We had a very good discussion about
trade. The President and I have made a decision that we'll
work closely to iron out any differences that may
exist. Obviously, each of us have got different issues that
we have to deal with within our own borders. I'm mindful of
that, so is the President.
But the thing that's important is the spirit
of cooperation. There are no differences when it comes to
the desire to cooperate. I'm confident we'll have a very
fruitful relationship. It's in our nations' best interests
that we have close relations with Brazil.
For those of you who have never heard me say
this, good relations in our neighborhood is not going to be an
afterthought for our foreign policy in America. The best
foreign policy starts with making sure that relations in our own
hemisphere are very positive. And the fact that the
President would come here to Washington and have a fruitful dialogue
with me is an indication that not only are we interested, but so is the
President. For that, I'm very grateful.
PRESIDENT CARDOSO: That's
true. I do agree with the President. I believe
that -- we have, of course, from time to time some difference. That's
normal between nations. Yesterday the President said,
American -- to be American first. Well, I would say the
same, to be Brazil first. That's normal. But then let's see
how to cooperate.
And the point is that regarding trade -- you
asked what about trade -- our problems are going -- are being discussed
in several meetings. We have been making progress toward a
more free trade. Of course we're going to have to take into
account the situation in Brazil, Brazilians' interests, and we'll have
to see how to solve, eventually, what can be a conflict of
interest. But very localized interest, very specific
interest. We cannot generalize as if American and Brazil
will clash.
No, by being one point to have the
difference. So let's try to work together to solve the
difference. That's the way.
END 2:23
P.M. EST
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