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want to strike a difference between military same path together. I conveyed something expenses for armed conflicts between coun- that’s very close to my heart, with regard to tries and military expenditures for defense the Huascaran education program, and I against terrorism and drug trafficking, be- asked our friend to support us on this. And cause these are two separate issues. I will be going to New York, and I’m going I think that there is a major challenge in to talk to Mr. to try to promote the world. In order to survive in this the Huascaran project even more. But if we globalized and savagely competitive world we reduce military spending, we’re going to have live in, we need to invest more in the minds some financial leeway to reorient this money of our people. Basically, what this means is towards the poor, who want to overcome investing more in nutrition, health, edu- poverty, who want freedom. And we’ll be cation, and justice for the poor. We won’t able to deal with the challenges of the future be able to deal with the challenges of this even better. globalized world unless we invest in the Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very knowledge of our societies. much. The question immediately arises, and obvi- ously so, in an economy that is growing, that is overcoming a recession, where do you get NOTE: The news conference began at 6 p.m. at the money to invest in nutrition, health, and the Presidential Palace. President Toledo spoke education? Well, we’ve made an appeal to in Spanish, and his remarks were translated by countries at the bilateral level. And there the an interpreter. In his remarks, President Bush re- United States has played a very generous ferred to Veronica Bowers and her daughter, role, at the donors table in Madrid. And I Charity, who were killed in the accidental shootdown of a U.S. missionary plane in on want to publicly express my appreciation, Mr. April 20, 2001; Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Pal- President. There has been debt conversion, estinian Authority; U.S. Special Envoy to the Mid- external bilateral debt swap, for social invest- dle East Gen. Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.); and ment. And there we have been able to get Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of . President a commitment of about $1 billion. This is Bush also referred to FARC, the Revolutionary one way to establish a financial space to in- Armed Forces of Colombia; the Tenet plan, the vest in health, nutrition, and education. Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire and security plan of The other thing is that I believe it makes June 13, 2001, negotiated by Director of Central no sense in this world that as long as we have Intelligence George J. Tenet; and the Mitchell re- a country with 54 percent of Peruvians who port, the Report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact- live below the poverty line or 16 percent who Finding Committee, issued April 30, 2001. Presi- live below the dire poverty line—when I was dent Toledo referred to Minister of Defense born, the very first minute of my life when Aurelio Loret de Mola of Peru; and William H. I opened my eyes, I saw the face of dire pov- ‘‘Bill’’ Gates, chairman and chief software archi- erty. I know what this means. That’s why I tect, Microsoft Corp. am convinced that we can make an effort to reduce military spending, to reorient those Remarks at a Dinner Hosted by resources towards investment in justice and President Toledo in education and health, because the defense of a country no longer depends on how many March 23, 2002 tanks or ships or aircraft we have. It’s all about how strong our economy is, how edu- Mr. President, we’re so honored to be cated our people are. And please excuse me here. We want to thank you for your invita- for being so passionate on this subject, but tion. We want to thank you for the hospitality there is absolutely no doubt on this. And the that you and the First Lady have shown us. empirical evidence is very harsh with regard And we want to thank you all for coming. to the return on investment on education and I want to thank my friends the President health and nutrition for our people. of Colombia y de Bolivia y tambien el vice And here, once again, we have another presidente de Ecuador. Thank you all for point of coincidence that leads us down the being here as well.

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I have come to Peru to congratulate the doms in the search of a democracy, the President and the people of Peru for embrac- search of economic freedom as well—giving ing the institutions of democracy. It is such people the opportunity—the opportunity to an important example for the world to see. get education, to trade of their products, and I have come to Peru to thank the people of to integrate into the new world. Peru and the for the con- So a country like ours that believes in free- dolences that you sent to mi pais on Sep- dom feels especially honored to have a world tember the 11th. We appreciate your pray- leader that has built a leadership based on ers; we appreciate your condolences; and we values and principles, values that have to do appreciate your firm stand in the fight against with the rights of human beings. And this terror. allows us, countries that are so different like And I bring with me the condolences of the United States and El Salvador, to find the American people for those lives and the each other in a common point. families whose lives were affected as a result So welcome to our country, President of the cowardly bombing that took place in Lima last week. Bush. It is an immense honor to have you I come in the spirit of respect and coopera- here in our country. tion, respect for the people of Peru and the President Bush. Gracias, Sen˜or desire to cooperate to advance trade and Presidente, mi amigo. Thank you, President commerce and prosperity and education and Flores, for providing such warm hospitality health. I see a great future in our relation- in this beautiful country. Laura and I were ship, and I see a great future for the great struck, when we flew in, about your beautiful country of Peru. mountains and your beautiful sea. I’m hon- So it’s my honor to be here tonight to toast ored to be here for the first time in my life. my friend el Presidente, the First Lady, and We’ve just completed our fifth meeting— the people of this gran pais. this is the fifth time that the President and I have met. And in each of them, I have come NOTE: The President spoke at 8:41 p.m. in the away from our meetings most optimistic Presidential Palace. In his remarks, he referred to President Toledo’s wife, Eliane Karp Toledo; about the future of El Salvador. I truly be- President Andres Pastrana of Colombia; President lieve this country has got a unique President Jorge Fernando Quiroga Ramirez of Bolivia; and and a great President. El Salvador—and the Vice President Pedro Pinto Rubianes of Ecuador. reason why I believe that is because of the A tape was not available for verification of the success of the country. content of these remarks. El Salvador is one of the really great stories of economic and political transformation of The President’s News Conference our time. Just over a decade ago, this country With President Francisco Flores was in civil war. For millions of Salvadorans, Perez of El Salvador in San Salvador, violence was a daily reality, and prosperity El Salvador was just a distant dream. Today, El Salvador is at peace. The country has renewed its com- March 24, 2002 mitment to democracy and economic reform President Flores Perez. Good afternoon. and trade. It is one of the freest and strongest It is an honor for us to be here with you and most stable countries in our hemisphere. and to be able to answer the questions that The United States considers El Salvador you want to ask President Bush and myself. a close friend and strong ally. As friends, we I would like to start by saying that for El come to each other’s aids in times of crisis. Salvador, it is an immense honor to have Since September the 11th, El Salvador has President Bush in our land. been unwavering in its support for the inter- El Salvador has been a country that has national coalition against terrorism. I want to faced enormous difficulties—the war, com- thank the President and the people of El Sal- bat against poverty, earthquakes. And El Sal- vador for their prayers for the American peo- vador has done this through a system of free- ple during this crisis. I want to thank you

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