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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 16, 2001

Remarks by the President in Photo Opportunity with President Lagos of Chile
The Oval Office

4:55 P.M. EDT

     PRESIDENT  BUSH:   I'm  very honored to welcome the President of Chile here  to  the  Oval Office.  Chile is a remarkable country.  It's a country that  is  a  strong  democracy that has shown people in this hemisphere the importance  of  rule  of law.  I look forward to renewing a friendship with the President.

     I  also  look forward to talking about free trade.  I'm confident that by  the time this year is over we will conclude a free trade agreement with Chile.  It's in our nation's best interest to do so.  And, finally, I think some  members of Congress could take a good -- could take some lessons from Chile,  particularly  when  it  comes to how to run our pension plans.  Our Social  Security  system  needs to be modernized, Mr. President, and I look forward to getting some suggestions as to how to do so, since you have done so, so well.

     But anyway, I welcome you to our country.  And thank you very much for being here.

     PRESIDENT  LAGOS:   I  would like to take this opportunity and I would like to say that I agree with the President that our team has to work hard, very  hard,  in order to be able to conclude an agreement by the end of the year.   And  this  is  so,  I'm  sure,  that  the  shared investment in our countries are going to increase for the benefit of our population, in order to give equal opportunities to everybody.

     We  have  common  shares and common goals.  Not only common interests, but  common shares and values with the U.S., in democracy, respect to human rights,  a  market economy.  And we are trying to do the best to have equal opportunities  for  everybody.   And I think that these are the major goals for  your  administration, our administration.  And we have to work in that direction.   I'm sure that the trade agreement, if we are able to conclude, is going to be important to go in this direction.  Thank you.

     PRESIDENT BUSH:  Thank you, Mr. President.

     Q    Mr. President, thank you, sir.

     PRESIDENT  BUSH:   The  ground  rules are a question from the American side and then a question from the Chilean side.

     Q     Sir,  last  August, when you were a candidate, you said in Miami that,  "When  the next President sits at the American Summit, other nations must  know  that  fast  track  trade authority is on the way."  Why are you going  to  Quebec  with  no  promise  of  fast track authority, and are you willing to compromise with Democrats to get it?

     PRESIDENT  BUSH:  Well, I'd certainly like to have what they call fast track  authority.  It would -- most presidents have had it.  It's important for  the  President  to  fight  for the right to be able to negotiate trade agreements  without  amendment.   I  believe  we're  making progress toward regaining that power for the President.

     In the meantime, we can negotiate a bilateral treaty with Chile.  It's a  separate  issue.   I'm  confident  we  can  get  it done, Mr. President. Ambassador  Zoellick  is  here.   Ambassador  Zoellick  and  the rest of my administration are committed to not only having a good trade agreement with Chile,  but  also  giving the President the trade promotion authority.  And we'll  discuss  ways  to  get it out of the Congress when the Congress gets back.

     I had a meeting with the leadership on both sides of the aisle to talk about  trade promotion authority.  I believe we can get -- I believe we can get it done.  It's going to require a lot of hard work and effort to do so.

     Q    Are you willing to compromise to do it, sir?

     PRESIDENT  BUSH:   See,  what  happens  here in American politics, Mr. President,  is  people  are  always trying to get me to put my cards on the table.  (Laughter.)

     PRESIDENT LAGOS:  That's the same down there, you know?  (Laughter.)

     PRESIDENT BUSH:  That happens in Chile, too?  (Laughter.)

     Q     Mr. President, Chile is looking to buy F-16 planes to the United States,  to  modernize  their  army.   What  do  you  think of the sales of sophisticated  arms  to  Latin  America?   Are  you  willing to support the requests of Chile?

     PRESIDENT   BUSH:   I'm  willing  to  discuss  this  matter  with  the President.   I look forward to this being on the agenda that we're about to have.  And we will listen to any request that our friends in our hemisphere make.   I  will  tell  you  this,  I  am confident that Chile is a peaceful nation.   I'm  confident that they're a democracy that's -- that intends to make  the  world  more  peaceful.   And  that's  a  good place to begin our discussion.

     Thank you, all.

                             END                 5:01 P.M. EDT