Obama praises Peru's resiliency during global economic crisis

United States President Barack Obama and his Peruvian counterpart Alan Garcia discussed Tuesday a variety of issues ranging from improving global economy to addressing nuclear nonproliferation.

The two leaders, who met in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday evening, also stressed the need to promote democracy and reduce global warming.

The U.S. president praised the Andean country's economic performance during the global economic crisis, "a testimony to the President’s leadership on this front," he said.

"Peru has been an extraordinary success story over the last several years.  We’ve seen not only the solidification of a thriving democracy, but also an extraordinary economic success story," said President Barack Obama, who noted that Peru was able to "remain resilient in the midst of a very tough global recession last year."

Regarding the bilateral relationship, President Obama said they have agreed to continue to pursue the details of the free trade agreement that has already been executed so that it is creating jobs and prosperity in both countries.  "We discussed how we can work together on security issues," he added.

Presidents Garcia and Obama also talked about a broader international vision of how Peru and the U.S. can continue to promote democracy, human rights, press freedoms and economic development with a strong emphasis on poverty reduction.

"These are all issues that the President has some excellent track records of success in his own country, and we want to continue to be an effective partner with Peru as they continue to grow and develop," stressed President Obama.

In a brief press conference in the Oval Office, President Obama went on to say that both Peru and the United States share common approaches to international concerns, including nuclear non-proliferation and climate change.

"We recognize that it’s important to leave to the next generation a country that has fewer nuclear threats rather than more nuclear threats. And so I very much appreciate Peru’s strong stance on that issue," said the U.S. leader.

"We also discussed the environment, issues like climate change, and we came to recognize that we can’t solve these problems individually. A single country can’t solve these problems, but we have to work together in partnership."

For his part, Peruvian President Alan Garcia thanked his U.S. counterpart for the invitation to visit him in the White House and hold "a very warm and friendly meeting during which they discussed global issues."

"Although Peru is not a major power in the world today, it is a country that believes firmly, as does the United States, that nuclear proliferation must stop here and now," said President Garcia.

Regarding the economic crisis, the Peruvian leader said that the United States has exerted very important leadership in this sense, calling on the meetings of the G20.

"We believe in the importance of economic expansion, and also regulation of economic activity.  But all countries need very deep reforms economically in order to avoid the stumbles and falls that have beset some regions of the world; we’re looking at what happened in Europe just recently," he said.

On regional issues, Garcia Perez said democracy will become stronger and stronger in Latin America.  "But this democracy needs to be modern, vibrant, a democracy that works with technology, with investment, one that does not fall into the trap of protectionism — protectionism which can only lead to poverty."

President Garcia added that Peru is a country that congratulates itself therefore on having attained a free trade agreement with the United States, one that will promote more jobs, more technology, and more investment.

(END) EEP/LVT
Video: Obama: Peru has been extraordinary success story. Source: Whitehouse

Publicado: 1/6/2010