[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[July 22, 2008]
[Pages 1043-1046]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks at a Celebration of Colombian Independence Day
July 22, 2008
Gracias. Thank you. Sientese. Gracias. Buenos dias. Bienvenidos a la
Casa Blanca. I am pleased to welcome you to the gathering of the 198th
anniversary of Colombia's independence, which was celebrated last Sunday
in grand style. Colombia and the United States have a long history of
close ties. As many of you may know, Colombia supports [supplies]*
America's primary source of energy, a resource that many Americans use,
and we thank you for your coffee. [Laughter]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*White House correction.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm proud that the Secretary of Agriculture is with us, Eddie Schafer; Secretary of Commerce Carlos
Gutierrez; Chief of Staff
Bolten; Director John Walters, the Office of Drug and--of National Drug Control
Policy; other members of my administration who are concerned about
making sure our relationship with Colombia is strong and vibrant.
I appreciate very much the Members of the Congress who have come
today: Dreier, Herger, y Diaz-Balart. Thank
you all for coming. Thank you for showing your solidarity with the
people of Colombia.
I appreciate very much the Embajadora de Colombia--Ambassador
Barco, thanks for coming. Carolina
Renteria is with us, of the Cabinet--the
President's Cabinet; welcome. Hector
Morales, the Ambassador to--of the
United States to the Organization of American States; Camilo
Ospina, Ambassador of Colombia to the
Organization of American States; Luis Moreno,
proud Colombian citizen, president of the Inter-American Development
Bank--hola, Luis. Representatives of LULAC, I am so proud of the
resolution you recently passed. Thank you for your strong statement.
And after this brief discurso, I'll be welcoming Jorge
Celedon y Jimmy Zambrano to entertain us with some songs.
Before we do, though, I want to--got some comments I'd like to make.
The anniversary of Colombia's independence falls only a couple weeks
after America's Independence Day celebration. And that's appropriate,
because our two nations have much in common. Like the United States,
Colombia gained its independence when a band of patriots rallied
together against a distant monarchy. Like the United States, Colombia
was unified in its earliest days by a daring general who became the
country's first President. And like the United States, Colombia built a
new government around the rule of law and the notion that liberty was an
unalienable right.
Our countries have shared a strong bond from the very beginning. In
1822, President James Monroe was one of the first heads of state to
recognize Colombia's independence. And that same year, America became
[[Page 1044]]
one of the first countries to establish a new diplomatic mission with
that republic. From those strong foundations we built a lasting
friendship on a mutual respect for liberty and a commitment to a more
peaceful world.
This friendship has endured through good times and bad. Less than a
decade ago, it looked as if peace and freedom were on retreat in
Colombia. The country was in the grip of drug cartels and kidnapers. The
Marxist terrorist network known as the FARC threatened to overthrow the
democratically elected government. These were tough times for our
friend. Our two nations launched an ambitious program that helped rescue
Colombia from the brink of becoming a failed state.
Plan Colombia, which started under my predecessor, made it clear that the United States would support the
Colombian Government's efforts to modernize its military, to fight
terrorists and drug kingpins, to expand educational opportunities, and
provide Colombians with alternatives to a life of terror and
narcotrafficking. The Colombian Government has taken the lead on this
bold plan, and the United States has been proud to help. And today, Plan
Colombia is working.
One of the main reasons for Plan Colombia's success is the courage
of Colombia's President, President Uribe.
President Uribe has taken bold stands to defend our shared democratic
values. He has been a strong and capable partner in fighting drugs and
crime and terror. He's demonstrated that he is deeply committed to
providing a better future for the people of his country.
Since President Uribe took office,
the Colombian Government reports that homicides have dropped by 40
percent; kidnapings have dropped by more than 80 percent; terrorist
attacks have dropped by more than 70 percent. Reforms to Colombia's
criminal justice system have dramatically increased conviction rates.
And last year, Colombia's economy saw its largest growth in nearly three
decades. These are impressive achievements, and they're a testament to
the determination of the Colombian people and their outstanding
President.
Earlier this month, President Uribe's
administration scored another impressive triumph. In a daring covert
operation, members of the Colombian military infiltrated the FARC and
convinced the terrorists to transfer 15 hostages, including 3 Americans, to a new location. Disguised Colombian agents arrived
in a helicopter to carry out the transfer. And when the hostages lifted
off, they were astonished to hear an Army officer say nine words they
thought they would never hear: ``We are the Colombia Army, and you are
free.''
Today, three Americans are back with their
families because of the heroism of the Colombian allies. On behalf of
our entire Nation, I welcome home Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and
Keith Stansell. And I thank the brave members of the Colombian military
who rescued them.
The success of this rescue mission underscores the progress the
Colombian Government has made. This progress is also evident in the
hearts and minds of the Colombian people. On Sunday, more than a million
Colombians marched in their nation's streets and called on FARC to
release its remaining hostages and to stop practicing terror. They
chanted a simple but powerful message: Libertad--that means freedom.
[Laughter]
America should support this noble stand by the Colombian people. And
the single most important step we can do so is for the United States
Congress to approve a Colombia free trade agreement that our countries
signed more than a year and a half ago.
Approving this agreement would strengthen our Nation's economy.
Because of legislation that the Congress has passed--particularly the
Andean Trade Preference Act--today, almost all Colombian exports enter
the United States duty
[[Page 1045]]
free. The Congress made that decision. Yet our products exported to
Colombia face tariffs of up to 35 percent, with rates even higher for
some agricultural products. In other words, the current situation is
one-sided. And the failure to approve the free trade agreement is
hurting our businesses who want to sell their products into Colombia.
Tariffs imposed on U.S. exports to Colombia are estimated to have
exceeded $1.1 billion while the trade agreement has awaited
congressional approval. Every day that passes without the agreement's
approval, that number only gets bigger. Congress has already voted to
allow duty-free access to American markets for Colombian products. Now
Congress should create a level playing field; they ought to give
American workers and farmers the same access to Colombia's markets. And
the way for them to do though--that is to approve the free trade
agreement.
Opening markets is especially important during this time of economic
uncertainty. Last year, exports accounted for more than 40 percent of
America's total economic growth. Doesn't it make sense to continue that
kind of growth during these economic uncertain times? I think it does.
We ought to be working to open up new opportunities and new markets.
More than 8,000 small and midsized American businesses export to
Colombia. Approving this agreement will help these small businesses and
middle-sized businesses grow their businesses and create high-paying
jobs.
Approving this agreement is also an urgent national security
priority. It makes good economic sense, but it's important for our
national security that the Congress approve this agreement. While the
FARC has seen its power reduced, the terrorists are still actively
plotting against the Colombian Government. Colombia also faces a hostile
and anti-American neighbor in Venezuela, where the regime has forged an
alliance with Cuba, collaborated with FARC terrorist leaders, and
provided sanctuary to FARC units. It is in America's interests to stand
by Colombia in the face of this threat, and the best way to do so is for
Congress to allow a vote on the Colombia free trade agreement.
President Uribe has stood strong
against tyranny and terror. He's done everything we have asked him to do
and more. He's told Members of Congress that approving this agreement is
one of the most important steps that America can take to show its
support for Colombia. Now the Colombian people are waiting to see what
our Congress will do. To demonstrate America's good faith, to stand by
our strong friend, to send a clear signal that we appreciate our ally,
the United States Congress must approve this free trade agreement.
And once they do so, Congress should quickly approve our free trade
agreements with Panama and South Korea. By doing so, they can reassure
these countries that America will stand by its word, and that we will
not abandon our friends.
It's been nearly two centuries since the United States of America
and the nation of Colombia forged a friendship in the earliest days of
our independence. In the years since, both of our nations have learned
that the cost of maintaining a free society is remaining vigilant
against the enemies of freedom. We believe that freedom is the
birthright of all. We believe that it is the responsibility of free
nations to support one another against those who would undermine our
freedom.
The United States is committed to the security of Colombia; we're
committed to defeating the forces of terror. Our countries can meet this
challenge together. And through our partnership, we can usher in a new
era of enhanced prosperity and peace in our neighborhood.
I want to thank you for coming. Que Dios le bendiga.
Note: The President spoke at 1:41 p.m. in the East Room of the White
House. In his
[[Page 1046]]
remarks, he referred to Colombia's Ambassador to the U.S. Carolina Barco
Isakson; and Director of National Planning Carolina Renteria of
Colombia. He also referred to LULAC, the League of United Latin American
Citizens. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
language transcript of these remarks.