Posted on 11/04/2005 7:35:37 AM PST by prairiebreeze
MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina - President Bush on Friday worked to smooth the United States' troubled image in Latin America, commending Argentina's efforts to improve its damaged economy.
"The economy has changed in quite dramatic fashions thanks to the wise decisions you have made," Bush told Argentina President Nestor Kirchner.
While not directly offering U.S. help as Argentina seeks to reach a new financial settlement with the International Monetary Fund, Bush expressed his support.
"His record is such now that he can take his case to the IMF with a much stronger hand," Bush said.
Bush spoke on the first day of the Summit of the Americas being attended by leaders and officials of 34 nations. Nearby, an estimated 10,000 demonstrators shouting "Get out Bush!" marched in the streets of this seaside resort, illustrating the skepticism that many South Americans have toward U.S.-led negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas stretching from Alaska to Argentina.
One of Bush's top goals at the summit is to revive momentum for that free-trade plan, which he has acknowledged has stalled. He was making the call for liberalized trade and increased entrepreneurship while visiting Argentina, the summit host that adopted such reforms in the 1990s and saw its economy collapse.
Supporters of free trade say those policies aren't to blame for the financial crisis and resulting bloody riots four years ago. Instead, they point to other mistakes, chief among them government corruption and Argentina's heavy borrowing.
Argentina's economy is recovering faster than many leading analysts expected, in part because of a boom in exports. But the country still suffers from double-digit unemployment and high poverty.
In his appearance alongside Kirchner, Bush didn't specifically mention the free trade agreement. He urged Latin American governments to commit to democratic governance.
"The United States has common ground with countries that promote democracy and freedom and believe in the rule of law," he said.
Relations between Bush and Kirchner, a populist leader elected in the political upheaval that followed Argentina's economic collapse, have been chilly. The Argentine was an opponent of the war in Iraq and said before their meeting at the last Summit of the Americas that he would "win by a knockout" in his private meeting with Bush.
Each leader referred repeatedly to how "candid" their discussions were, and the pair took no questions from reporters.
"I'm leaving this meeting feeling very satisfied because it wasn't a meeting looking for nice words but to speak the truth," Kirchner said. "Each us did just that."
But Bush clearly sought to stress common ground. He mentioned Manu Ginobili of Bahia Blanca, Argentina, a star guard who has helped the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association win two titles in the past three years
"He's made a vital contribution to a basketball team from the state in which I live," Bush said. "But he's also a good ambassador for your country."
Argentina remains the only country in Latin America that holds "major non-NATO ally" status with the United States, exempting it from certain sanctions. The country has cooperated with the United States on fighting drug trade and terrorism, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said.
Bush's trip comes as he faces the lowest job approval ratings of his presidency back home.
Demonstrators poured into Mar del Plata. Police with riot shields redoubled security, and navy ships patrolled offshore as helicopters clattered over the luxury hotel where leaders will meet.
"We're going to say 'No to Bush' and 'No to FTAA,'" said Argentine labor leader Juan Gonzalez. "We don't have any confidence in anything he might propose here. Whatever it is will only prolong hunger, poverty and death in Latin America."
Thomas Shannon, the new assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said aboard Air Force One on the flight to Argentina that the U.S. is still promoting the FTAA even though it has been "slowed down," but also is pursuing regional and bilateral agreements to move the president's free trade agenda.
Bush highlighted his success by gathering Friday with leaders of Central American nations involved in a recently approved trade pact with the United States. Later in the day, Bush had a one-on-one meeting with the president of Chile, which negotiated a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S.
Bush and an outspoken critic, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, also were likely to meet Friday, shortly after Chavez's speech to a demonstration of mostly anti-Bush protesters. Chavez has joked about whether Bush is afraid of him and said he might sneak up and scare Bush at the summit.
Chavez has said he would use the meeting as a stage to denounce the U.S. as a "capitalist, imperialist model" of democracy that exploits the economies of developing nations.
Chavez has said he would use the meeting as a stage to denounce the U.S. as a "capitalist, imperialist model" of democracy that exploits the economies of developing nations.
Careful, Hugo. Our President can kick your commie ass from here to Sunday if he wants to. Ex-president Peanut is surely proud of his latest dictator bunk-buddy.
Nedra, Nedra, Nedra. Sometime you really ought to speak with a shrink about your potty-training experiences.
Bush tries to fit square peg in round hole.
Wating for more info. . .but Bush appeared to want to kick some butt. . .and hopefully, did while in meeting.
"We're going to say 'No to Bush' and 'No to FTAA,'" said Argentine labor leader Juan Gonzalez. "We don't have any confidence in anything he might propose here. Whatever it is will only prolong hunger, poverty and death in Latin America."
Oh, PuhLEEEEZE!!!! Latin America's problems are self-inflicted. United Fruit and a few ill-chosen interventions aside, the problem with the LA culture is that the rich get richer, and when they get defeated, the NEW rich get richer. There's no "greater good" mindset (Chavez' pandering to communism notwithstanding).
Why would he bother talking with any of these clowns? Let them spew their venom to a low level staffer.
Thanks, I hope so too.
All that bunch illustrated is that the Communist can pay some people to incite a few others. The Democrats and the Communists sing from the same hymnal.
That's pretty funny the only good thing Bush found to say about Argentina was that "Manu Ginobili of Bahia Blanca, Argentina . . . helped the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association win two titles in the past three years."
He's Argentina's best ambassador. Presumably the ambassador in Washington is less effective at cementing good relations.
I could not care less what the "leaders" at the "summit" think of us. I'd like to see Bush improve his own image here at home by halting immigration, seriously reducing spending, and making bold and fundamental changes in the federal tax system. Oh yeah, and ending foreign welfare.
Nedra is jerking your chain.
But when Dubya does it, these same two-faced, doubletalking backstabbers will claim that America's budget deficit and heavy borrowing are "good".
Oh, I just meant that she's likely hyping the story quite a bit. Probably Chavez is the main one who's really running his mouth.
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