Transcript of remarks by United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza
Rice in a video conference call
to the IAPA 59th General Assembly
Chicago, Illinois, October 13, 2003
(Introduced by Sr. Alejandro
Miró Quesada Cisneros, El Comercio, Lima, Peru)
(Applause.)
Dr. Condoleezza
Rice: Thank you very much. It’s a great pleasure to be here
by the wonders of technology in Washington, D.C., and to be able to speak
to you in Chicago.
I want to thank very much Alejandro Miró Quesada and Andrés
García and the delegates for giving me this opportunity to be with
you. I’ll speak briefly and then I will be happy to entertain your questions.
The administration of President George W. Bush has not only a strong record
in the Western Hemisphere but a deep and abiding interest in the region. President
Bush from the time that he ran for office as president of the United States
made clear that he believes that sound American foreign policy starts in our
own neighborhood. The president has met with nearly all of the hemisphere’s
heads of state, including a ministerial-level summit with Brazilian President
Lula. He has traveled to Mexico, Canada, Peru and El Salvador. And he looks
forward to returning to Mexico in January for a special Summit of the Americas.
This president’s vision for the Americas is a fully democratic hemisphere
working together to achieve market-based development, representative democracy
and security that improves the lives of its citizens. The president is committed
to advancing trade liberalization globally, regionally and with individual
nations in order to promote economic development and democratic governance
among our trading partners.
The president said it this way on September 3 during the signing ceremony
for the U.S.-Chile free trade agreement: he said, “For developing nations
free trade tied to economic reform has helped to lift hundreds of millions
of people out of poverty. As such we are working to complete by the end of
this year a free trade agreement with five Central American countries –
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua – and we
have notified the Congress of our intention to negotiate a free trade agreement
with the Dominican Republic. These initiatives complement the United States’
goal of achieving a genuine, comprehensive free trade area in the hemisphere
and we believe that the Free Trade Area of the Americas, the FTAA, is the
best route to achieving that goal.”
The president is committed to strengthening the region’s democratic
institutions by promoting good governance and combating corruption. The Inter-American
Democratic Charter, adopted on September 11, 2001 – ironically for the
United States a day that will always stay seared in our memory, but that Democratic
Charter was adopted, reaffirming the region’s commitment to freedom
and to democracy.
I just want to note that as we speak right now the Bolivian government, Bolivia,
is facing a great challenge. There have already been lives lost. We, the Organization
of American States and the international community must fully support the
democratic, constitutional government of Bolivia and our thoughts and hopes
for a peaceful resolution are with the Bolivian people.
The administration is firmly dedicated, too, to a proactive Cuba policy that
will assist the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom. As the president
emphasized just last week, we remain committed to the goal of achieving a
rapid, peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba, using the dissuasive tools
of economic embargo and travel restriction. But the president also announced
the establishment of a commission for assistance to a free Cuba. And this
commission, co-chaired by Secretaries Colin Powell and Mel Martinez, will
prepare the U.S. government to assist the Cuban people with an orderly and
peaceful transition from tyranny to democracy.
The administration supports a peaceful, democratic and constitutional and
electoral solution to Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis, consistent
with the OAS Permanent Council Resolution 833. We consider this an issue for
the region and we are fully supportive of the efforts of the OAS in this regard.
The United States is committed to providing strong economic and security assistance
in support of the Colombian people. We are working closely with President
Uribe in the fight against narcoterrorists, in the eradication of coca and
poppy, and in the interdiction of illicit drugs and the extradition of criminals.
Since September 11, 2001, we have been pleased to have the excellent cooperation
of our hemispheric partners to combat terror. And we have specially enhanced
border security with Mexico and Canada while ensuring the intense pace of
legal movement of people and goods along our land borders is maintained.
Looking ahead to the special Summit of the Americas to be hosted in Mexico
in January, we will emphasize the positive message that democratic governance,
sound pro-growth economic policy and investment in health and education create
opportunity for all citizens. This agenda will help build on and advance the
commitments agreed to in April of 2001 at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec
City.
We are working toward the establishment of the Millennium Challenge Account,
the president’s groundbreaking initiative that links a 50% increase
in development assistance to just government, investments in people and economic
freedom, because the United States wants to join with developing countries
in our hemisphere and beyond to demonstrate that performance by governments
in these critical areas can build a development partnership focused on growth
and embodying the new development paradigm agreed to at Monterrey.
I want to close by simply saying that this president is committed to a hemisphere
that is free, democratic, governed wisely, governed without corruption, that
trades in freedom, and where growth and prosperity spread. He looks forward
to working with the many leaders in the hemisphere who he knows, to working
with the regional organizations of the hemisphere, and to looking for a brighter
and greater future for the peoples of our own neighborhood, the Western Hemisphere.
Thank you very much for your attention and I’m happy to take your questions.
(Applause.)
Sr. Miró
Quesada: Thank you very much, Dr. Rice. We have some questions here.
We have Enrique, then Mata, then Herrero and Héctor Dávalos.
Como dijo el presidente, les pedimos a las personas que qujieren hacer pregunatas
que lo hqacen desde acá, de manera que la doctora Rice pueda verlos
mientras las hacen.
Sr. Enrique Santos
Calderón (El Tiempo, Bogotá, Colombia): As you well
mentioned, there is a strong cooperation between the Colombian government
and President Bush – President Uiribe is one of the U.S.’s strongest
allies at this moment, not only in the war against terrorism, also because
Uribe was one of the few Latin American presidents to support the Iraqi operation.
Nevertheless, a recent law that the Uribe government wants to pass for the
demobilization of the illegal armed groups has met with strong criticism in
Colombia public opinion, because it’s considered too lenient for the
paramilitary groups. I understand that the U.S. government also has objections
to this law. I would like, Ms. Rice, if you could clarify what these objections
are, please.
Dr. Rice: In fact, the
president recently met with President Uribe and President Uribe was also in
discussions with several leaders on Capitol Hill. We fully support that the
president is employing in Colombia to try and deal finally with the narcoterrorism
and the terrible terrorism that has befallen the Colombia people. We are in
fact in discussions with the Uribe government about the law concerning what
might happen to the paramilitaries and it is very clear from the administration
that we are concerned about some aspects, but we believe that it will be very
possible to work with the Colombian government. And after all, it will finally
be a decision for the Colombian government and for the Colombian people as
to how they deal with issues of reconciliation as they try to move to a better
day for Colombia.
Sr. Santos Calderón:
Thank you.
Sr. Andrés
Mata (El Universal, Caracas, Venezuela): Good afternoon, Dr. Rice.
The Venezuelan government, at least to the best information in our newsroom,.
Has limited and curtailed U.S. drug interdiction flights in a country whose
Constitution does not allow extradition to the U.S. Venezuela has failed to
follow the San José accords to supply oil to the Dominican Republic,
that’s complicating the triangulation with Mexico. The Chávez
administration we know supplies daily some $50 million of oil to Cuba and
has gone on record as supporting Evo Morales in Bolivia.
Briefly put, Ma’am, to what extent does Venezuela’s internal polarization
and the problems that we are undergoing on our way to fulfilling the mandate
of OAS 833 towards a democratic, constitutional and electoral solution to
the problem pose in your mind the status that Venezuela may be putting at
significant risk both as to the security and the stability of the entire Andean
and Caribbean region if that electoral solution is not reached soon.
Thank you.
Dr. Rice:
Thank you very much. Let me start by saying that we are very supportive of
the efforts of the Organization of American States in trying to oversee a
process that will get Venezuela to a constitutional and electoral process
that will resolve these issues. We do not consider this to be a bilateral
issue with Venezuela but rather a regional issue, and it should be treated
as such.
As to certain responsibilities that Venezuela ought to be exercising in the
hemisphere, I think it is no secret – and it would certainly be no secret
to you – that we have had our concerns about some of the activities
of the Venezuelan government and we make those known to Venezuela on a regular
basis. Venezuela does have responsibilities in the hemisphere to fight terrorism,
to fight narcotrafficking, to make certain that it is responsible in its economic
activities in the region.
As to Cuba, Cuba remains the one government that cannot even be seated at
the Organization of American States, because the governments that are seated
at the Organization of American States are committed to democracy.
So we have had our differences with the Venezuelan government, we continue
to, we believe that Venezuela ought to fully live up to the responsibilities
that it has to this hemisphere for security and economic prosperity in this
hemisphere, and we are very focused on trying to get to a peaceful referendum
so that these issues can be resolved.
Thank you very much.
Sr. Mata:
Thank you, Ma’am.
Sr. Saturnino
Herrero Mitjans (Clarín, Buenos Aires, Argentina): Señora
Rice, en sus palabras usted expresó la vinculación y el involucriamiento
del gobierno americano en la política internacional y a su vez en la
parte final usted expresó sus deseos y su preocupación acerca
del futuro. Respecto a este futuro, la Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa está
muy preocupada acerca de la amenazas que se ciernen a la libertad de prensa
en el contexto de la próxima Conferencia Cumbre sobre la Sociedad de
la Información auspiciada por las Naciones Unidas con la participación
directa de la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones y la UNESCO,
que se va celebrar en diciembre próximo en Ginebra. Se está
intentando que la Cumbre apruebe un Plan de Acción y una Declaración
que impone restricciones a los medios libres de prensa, radio y televisión,
intentándose imponer restricciones a la libertad de estos medios. En
los 80 los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica mantuvieron una firme posición
en torno a la defensa de la prensa libre, que llevó a su alejamiento
de la propia UNESCO. Hoy que el gobierno norteamericano ha resuelto reingresar
a la UNESCO nos importa mucho acá en la SIP contar con que este mismo
gobierno tome una posición firme y activa en cuanto a que la delegación
en la Cumbre de Ginebra nos acompañe en la posición de defender
la prensa libre. Entonces nos interesaría mucho conocer sus comentarios
acerca de esto de acabo de mencionar.
Gracias.
Dr. Rice:
Thank you. The United States has indeed rejoined UNESCO and the forum about
which you are talking my understanding is that this is a dialogue on global
communication in a new era. It is important that there be such a dialogue
about the importance of global communication, it is important that we talk
about how to make certain that that communication can take place by all means
in all countries, for instance the use of the Internet, and how it has changed
global communication. I think this is simply to be an opening dialogue on
this very important subject. Of course, the United States is founded, one
of our first freedoms is freedom of the press, and the United States has been
a strong voice for and proponent for a free press.
Sr. Herrero:
Muchas gracias.
Sr. Héctor
Dávalos (Novedades de Acapulco, Acapulco, México):
Buenas tardes, doctora Rice, es un placer platicar con usted. Escuchamos con
mucha atención que ustedes reforzaron sus medidas de seguridad en las
fronteras de México y de Canadá. Personalmente me parece que
tienen toda la razón del mundo en hacerlo. Sin embargo, me gustaría
saber si han ponderado ustedes los daños que nos están causando
y los daños que se están causando también ustedes por
cuanto muchos más mexicanos que de costumbre pasan como indocumentados
incontrolados, y también si pudiera adelantarnos ¿cuándo
levantarían o cambiarían ustedes esta medida?
Gracias.
Dr. Rice:
After September 11 we did have to work with our partners in Mexico and in
Canada to try and improve border security. We’ve learned that we did
have a number of problems in border security. My colleague Tom Ridge, the
Secretary for Homeland Security, has been working with his counterparts, I
think very effectively. They have instituted a program called Smart Borders,
which is an effort to use technology and to use cooperation to improve border
security, so that people do not cross the border who should not cross the
border but to allow the free movement of goods and of services and of people
legally across the border. These are very important elements.
We would be the first to say that it will require more work, it will require
continued experience in how to make our borders more secure without cutting
off commerce, which is what we do not want to do – the commerce that
has been brought to us by NAFTA is so important to all of our economies that
of course we want the free flow of goods and services. But I do believe that
we’ve made a lot of progress since September 11. Tom Ridge meets frequently
with his counterparts and I believe that we will continue to make progress
on this very important issue.
Sr. Dávalos:
Muchas gracias.
Sr. Miró
Quesada: We have one last question.
Sr. Horacio Aguirre
(Diario Las Américas, Miami, Florida): Muchas gracias, señora,
por su magnifica intervención esta tarde. La pregunta que le formulo
es ¿cuál será la decisión definitiva del presidente
de los Estados Unidos con respecto a los viajes a Cuba que producen tanto
dinero a la tiranía totalitaria de Fidel Castro?
Eso es todo. ¿Cuál es la decisión del presidente, va
a ser efectiva o quedará para largo tiempo?
Dr. Rice:
Thank you very much. The president just last week directed the Homeland Security
Department to significantly tighten the travel restrictions that have been
on the books – there is supposed to be allowed travel for, say, humanitarian
purposes to Cuba. But we know that there a lot of people who are using the
travel opportunities to go to Cuba in ways that end up enriching the Cuban
government, because the Cubans are able to take the money in hard currency
to then pay the workers in fairly worthless pesos and to pocket the difference
between that hard currency and the pesos that they pay. This is simply unacceptable.
The president has directed Homeland Security to put together a real enforcement
program and to really begin to enforce these travel restrictions. I cannot
tell you that it will happen tomorrow, because these things take time. But
I can tell you that there is a firm commitment to begin immediately enforcing
these travel restrictions as quickly and as fully as possible, and this president
could not be more committed, because we do not want to enrich the tyrannical
government of Fidel Castro. We do not want to allow him to use these monies
to fund his tyranny, his crackdown on dissidents which has been really awful
this year.
If I could just make one final point about Cuba: Last year the president in
a new Cuba initiative made an offer to the Cuban government, he said that
he was prepared to think about changing some of our relations with Cuba, easing
some of our restrictions, if Fidel Castro would just permit free elections
for his people and begin to undo some of his tyrannical ways. And what was
the answer to that? The answer was the crackdown on dissidents that has earned
Castro the tremendous criticism of countries around the world. This needs
to be an international effort. It is unacceptable that Cuba remains in the
state that it does in this hemisphere in a time when democracy and freedom
and prosperity are within the grasp of people in the hemisphere. It should
not be that the Cuban people are forgotten.
Thank you very much.
Sr. Aguirre:
Muchas gracias, señora.
(Applause.)
Sr. Miró
Quesada: En nombre de la Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa deseo
agradecerle su participación hoy día. Muchísimas gracias.
Dr. Rice:
Thank you.
Preguntas ó Comentarios? 
