Remarks on Transmitting to the Congress Proposed Legislation on Trade Preference for Andean Countries

Let me greet Secretary Yeutter and Secretary Aronson and the Deputy USTR, Mr. Katz; and thank Ambassador Mosquera and Minister Crespo -- Ambassador Crespo, Charge Valdes of Peru, and Minister Zuquilanda of Ecuador for joining us here today.

This legislation we're sending up follows through on our Cartagena summit agreement to offer special measures of assistance to the Andean countries. And it provides trade preferences patterned along the lines of the extremely successful Caribbean Basin Initiative -- CBI legislation. It's the second piece of legislation affecting our hemisphere that we're sending to Congress in a month. And as you will recall on September 14th, I sent to the Congress the Enterprise for the Americas Act of 1990. We're working hard for passage of that legislation in this session. And I know Secretary Brady and Under Secretary Mulford have been working very hard on that. And I'd like to see the Congress act favorably this session.

The idea behind this legislation is to give the countries an extra boost. It's designed to complement our proposals on trade, investment, and debt under the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative by providing a special 10-year access to the U.S. market. When this legislation comes into force along with the Enterprise legislation, our arsenal against drugs will expand to include the following: economic development assistance; police and military assistance for interdiction; investment in debt measures; and finally, trade preferences. And now, if I could invite the four distinguished Ambassadors and DCM to join me here, while I sign this transmittal to the Congress. Please, come forth.

[At this point, the President signed the transmittal.]

Thank you all very much for coming to the White House. Work lies ahead, but this is a beginning. Well, I guess we'll go back to work. Thank you all.