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South Court Auditorium
3:21 P.M. EST
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good
afternoon, everyone. Please be seated.
I am very pleased to be welcoming my great friend and partner, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper, back to the White House to reaffirm our extraordinary
friendship and cooperation between the United States and Canada. I’d like
to talk a bit about what we accomplished today, and then address the situation
unfolding in Egypt.
The United States and Canada are not simply allies, not simply neighbors; we
are woven together like perhaps no other two countries in the world.
We’re bound together by our societies, by our economies, by our families --
which reminds me my brother-in-law’s birthday is today and I have to call
him. (Laughter.)
And in our many meetings together I’ve come to value Stephen’s candor and his
focus on getting results, both when it comes to our two countries and to
meeting global challenges. Although I, unfortunately, have not yet had
the pleasure of seeing him and his band jam to the Rolling Stones —- but I’m
told the videos have become a sensation on YouTube. So I'll be checking
those out after this bilateral. (Laughter.)
We’ve had a very successful day. Our focus has been on how we increase
jobs and economic growth on both sides of the border. Canada is our largest
trading partner and the top destination for American exports, supporting some
1.7 million jobs here. So today we’ve agreed to several important steps
to increase trade, improve our competitiveness, and create jobs for both our
people.
First, we agreed to a new vision for managing our shared responsibilities —-
not just at the border but “beyond the border.” That means working more
closely to improve border security with better screening, new technologies and
information-sharing among law enforcement, as well as identifying threats
early. It also means finding new ways to improve the free flow of goods
and people. Because with over a billion dollars in trade crossing the
border every single day, smarter border management is key to our
competitiveness, our job creation, and my goal of doubling U.S. exports.
And, Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for your leadership and commitment to
reaching this agreement.
We’ve directed our teams to develop an action plan to move forward
quickly. And I’m confident that we’re going to get this done so that our
shared border enhances our shared prosperity.
Second, we’re launching a new effort to get rid of outdated regulations that
stifle trade and job creation. Like the government-wide review that I
ordered last month, we need to obviously strike the right balance -— protecting
our public health and safety, and making it easier and less expensive for
American and Canadians to trade and do business, for example, in the auto
industry. And a new council that we’re creating today will help make that
happen.
Third, we discussed a wide range of ways to promote trade and investment, from
clean energy partnerships to the steps Canada can take to strengthen
intellectual property rights.
And we discussed a range of common security challenges, including Afghanistan,
where our forces serve and sacrifice together. Today, I want to thank
Prime Minister Harper for Canada’s decision to shift its commitment to focus on
training Afghan forces. As we agreed with our Lisbon -- or our NATO and
coalition allies in Lisbon, the transition to Afghan lead for security will
begin this year, and Canada’s contribution will be critical to achieving that
mission and keeping both our countries safe.
Finally, we discussed our shared commitment to progress with our partners in
the Americas, including greater security cooperation. And I especially
appreciated the Prime Minister’s perspective on the region as I prepare for my
trip to Central and South America next month.
Let me close by saying a few words about the situation in Egypt. This is
obviously still a fluid situation and we’re monitoring it closely, so I'll make
just a few points.
First, we continue to be crystal-clear that we oppose violence as a response to
this crisis. In recent days, we’ve seen violence and harassment erupt on
the streets of Egypt that violates human rights, universal values and
international norms. So we are sending a strong and unequivocal message:
Attacks on reporters are unacceptable. Attacks on human rights activists
are unacceptable. Attacks on peaceful protesters are unacceptable.
The Egyptian government has a responsibility to protect the rights of its
people. Those demonstrating also have a responsibility to do so
peacefully. But everybody should recognize a simple truth: The
issues at stake in Egypt will not be resolved through violence or
suppression. And we are encouraged by the restraint that was shown
today. We hope that it continues.
Second, the future of Egypt will be determined by its people. It’s also
clear that there needs to be a transition process that begins now. That
transition must initiate a process that respects the universal rights of the
Egyptian people and that leads to free and fair elections.
The details of this transition will be worked by Egyptians. And my
understanding is that some discussions have begun. But we are consulting
widely within Egypt and with the international community to communicate our
strong belief that a successful and orderly transition must be
meaningful. Negotiations should include a broad representation of the
Egyptian opposition, and this transition must address the legitimate grievances
of those who seek a better future.
Third, we want to see this moment of turmoil turn into a moment of
opportunity. The entire world is watching. What we hope for and
what we will work for is a future where all of Egyptian society seizes that
opportunity. Right now a great and ancient civilization is going through
a time of tumult and transformation. And even as there are grave challenges
and great uncertainty, I am confident that the Egyptian people can shape the
future that they deserve. And as they do, they will continue to have a
strong friend and partner in the United States of America.
Mr. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER: Well, first of all, thank you, Barack. Both
thank you for your friendship both personal and national. And thank you
for all the work you’ve done and all of your people have done to bring us to
our announcement today.
[Speaks in French.]
And I will just repeat that.
Today, President Obama and I are issuing a declaration on our border, but it
is, of course, much more than that. It is a declaration on our
relationship. Over the past nearly 200 years, our two countries have
progressively developed the closest, warmest, most integrated and most
successful relationship in the world. We are partners, neighbors, allies,
and, most of all, we are true friends.
In an age of expanding opportunities but also of grave dangers, we share
fundamental interests and values just as we face common challenges and threats.
At the core of this friendship is the largest bilateral trading relationship in
history. And since the signing of the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, a
milestone in the development of the modern era of globalization, that
partnership has grown spectacularly.
Not only is the U.S. Canada’s major export market, Canada is also America’s
largest export market -- larger than China, larger than Mexico, larger than
Japan, larger than all the countries of the European Union combined.
Eight million jobs in the United States are supported by your trade with
Canada. And Canada is the largest, the most secure, the most stable, and
the friendliest supplier of that most vital of all America’s purchases --
energy.
It is in both our interests to ensure that our common border remains open and
efficient, but it is just as critical that it remains secure and in the hands
of the vigilant and the dedicated. Just as we must continually work to
ensure that inertia and bureaucratic sclerosis do not impair the legitimate
flow of people, goods and services across our border, so, too, we must up our
game to counter those seeking new ways to harm us.
And I say “us” because as I have said before, a threat to the United States is
a threat to Canada -- to our trade, to our interests, to our values, to our
common civilization. Canada has no friends among America’s enemies, and
America has no better friend than Canada.
The declaration President Obama and I are issuing today commits our governments
to find new ways to exclude terrorists and criminals who pose a threat to our
peoples. It also commits us to finding ways to eliminate regulatory
barriers to cross-border trade and travel, because simpler rules lead to lower
costs for business and consumers, and ultimately to more jobs.
Shared information, joint planning, compatible procedures and inspection
technology will all be key tools. They make possible the effective risk
management that will allow us to accelerate legitimate flows of people and
goods between our countries while strengthening our physical security and
economic competitiveness.
So we commit to expanding our management of the border to the concept of a
North American perimeter, not to replace or eliminate the border but, where
possible, to streamline and decongest it.
There is much work to do. The declaration marks the start of this
endeavor, not the end; an ambitious agenda between two countries, sovereign and
able to act independently when we so choose according to our own laws and
aspirations, but always understanding this -- that while a border defines two
peoples, it need not divide them. That is the fundamental truth to which Canadians
and Americans have borne witness for almost two centuries. And through
our mutual devotion to freedom, democracy and justice at home and abroad, it is
the example we seek to demonstrate for all others.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: All right, we’ve got time for a couple of
questions. I’m going to start with Alister Bull.
Q Thank you very much, Mr. President. Is it conceivable
to you that a genuine process of democratic reform can begin in Egypt while
President Mubarak remains in power, or do you think his stepping aside is
needed for reform even to begin?
And to Prime Minister Harper, on the energy issue, did you discuss Canada’s
role as a secure source of oil for the United States, and in particular, did
you receive any assurances the U.S. administration looks favorably on
TransCanada’s proposed Keystone Pipeline to the Gulf Coast? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I have had two conversations with President Mubarak
since this crisis in Egypt began, and each time I've emphasized the fact that
the future of Egypt is going to be in the hands of Egyptians. It is not
us who will determine that future. But I have also said that in light of
what’s happened over the last two weeks, going back to the old ways is not
going to work. Suppression is not going to work. Engaging in
violence is not going to work. Attempting to shut down information flows
is not going to work.
In order for Egypt to have a bright future -- which I believe it can have --
the only thing that will work is moving a orderly transition process that
begins right now, that engages all the parties, that leads to democratic
practices, fair and free elections, a representative government that is
responsive to the grievances of the Egyptian people.
Now, I believe that President Mubarak cares about his country. He is
proud, but he’s also a patriot. And what I've suggested to him is, is
that he needs to consult with those who are around him in his government.
He needs to listen to what’s being voiced by the Egyptian people and make a
judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly, but that is meaningful and
serious.
And I believe that -- he’s already said that he’s not going to run for
reelection. This is somebody who’s been in power for a very long time in
Egypt. Having made that psychological break, that decision that he will
not be running again, I think the most important for him to ask himself, for
the Egyptian government to ask itself, as well as the opposition to ask itself,
is how do we make that transition effective and lasting and legitimate.
And as I said before, that's not a decision ultimately the United States makes
or any country outside of Egypt makes. What we can do, though, is affirm
the core principles that are going to be involved in that transition. If
you end up having just gestures towards the opposition but it leads to a
continuing suppression of the opposition, that's not going to work. If
you have the pretense of reform but not real reform, that's not going to be
effective.
And as I said before, once the President himself announced that he was not
going to be running again, and since his term is up relatively shortly, the key
question he should be asking himself is, how do I leave a legacy behind in
which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period. And my
hope is, is that he will end up making the right decision.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER: You asked me about the question of energy, and,
yes, we did discuss the matter you raised. And let me just say this in
that context. I think it is clear to anyone who understands this issue
that the need of the United States for fossil fuels far in excess of its
ability to produce such energy will be the reality for some time to come.
And the choice that the United States faces in all of these matters is whether
to increase its capacity, to accept such energy from the most secure, most
stable and friendliest location it can possibly get that energy, which is
Canada, or from other places that are not as secure, stable or friendly to the
interests and values of the United States.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think we’ve got a Canadian reporter.
Q Prime Minister, can you answer this in English and
French? Canadians will be asking how much of our sovereignty and our
privacy rights will be given up to have more open borders and an integrated
economy. And while I have you on your feet, I want to ask you about
Egypt, as well, whether you feel that Mr. Mubarak should be stepping down
sooner, it would help the transition?
And, Mr. President, on the sovereignty issue, you're welcome to answer it --
you don't have to speak in French, though. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. (Laughter.) Now, I love French,
but I'm just not very capable of speaking it. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER HARPER: On the question of sovereignty, this declaration
is not about sovereignty. We are sovereign countries who have the
capacity to act as we choose to act. The question that faces us is to
make sure we act in a sovereign way that serves Canada’s interests. It is
in Canada’s interests to work with our partners in the United States to ensure
that our borders are secure, and ensure that we can trade and travel across
them as safely and as openly as possible within the context of our different
laws.
And that is what we're trying to achieve here. We share security threats
that are very similar on both sides of the border. We share an integrated
economic space where it doesn’t make sense to constantly check the same cargo
over and over again -- if we can do that at a perimeter, if we can decongest
the border, that's what we should be doing. If we can -- if we can
harmonize regulations in ways that avoid unnecessary duplication and red tape
for business -- these are things that we need to do.
So that's what this is all about. This is about the safety of Canadians
and it is about creating jobs and economic growth for the Canadian economy.
Let me maybe -- I'll do French and then I'll come to Egypt.
(Speaks in French.)
On the question of Egypt, let me just agree fully with what President Obama has
said. I don't think there is any doubt from anyone who is watching the
situation that transition is occurring and will occur in Egypt. The question
is what kind of transition this will be and how it will lead. It is
ultimately up to the Egyptian people to decide who will govern them.
What we want to be sure is that we lead towards a future that is not simply
more democratic, but a future where that democracy is guided by such values as
non-violence, as the rule of law, as respect and respect for human rights,
including the rights of minorities, including the rights of religious
minorities.
(Speaks in French.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: With respect to security issues and sovereignty issues,
obviously, Canada and the United States are not going to match up perfectly on
every measure with respect to how we balance security issues, privacy issues,
openness issues. But we match up more than probably any country on Earth.
We have this border that benefits when it is open. The free flow of
goods and services results in huge economic benefits for both sides. And
so the goal here is to make sure that we are coordinating closely and that as
we are taking steps and measures to ensure both openness and security, that
we’re doing so in ways that enhances the relationship as opposed to creates
tensions in the relationship. And we are confident that we’re going to be
able to achieve that.
We’ve already made great progress just over the last several years on various
specific issues. What we’re trying to do now is to look at this in a more
comprehensive fashion, so that it’s not just border security issues, but it’s a
broader set of issues involved. And I have great confidence that Prime
Minister Harper is going to be very protective of certain core values of
Canada, just as I would be very protective of the core values of the United
States, and those won’t always match up perfectly.
And I thought -- I agree even more with his answer in French. (Laughter.)
All right. Thank you very much, everybody.
END
3:49 P.M. EST
Source: White House
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The 4th Arab Republic of Egypt President, Hosni Mubarak was appointed vice president in 1975, and assumed the Presidency on October 14, 1981, following the assassination of President Anwar El Sadat. He is the longest-serving Egyptian ruler since Muhammad Ali Pasha. Before he entered politics Mubarak was a career officer in the Egyptian Air Force, serving as its commander from 1972 to 1975.
Beginning on January 25, 2011, a popular uprising called for his resignation as president of Egypt. On February 1, 2011, Mubarak announced that he will not seek another term in the upcoming presidential election. On February 5, 2011 Egyptian state media reported that senior members of the ruling National Democratic Party, including President Hosni Mubarak, had resigned from leadership roles within the party. It was later clarified that Mubarak would stay on as president however.He was appointed vice president in 1975, and assumed the Presidency on October 14, 1981, following the assassination of President Anwar El Sadat. He is the longest-serving Egyptian ruler since Muhammad Ali Pasha. Before he entered politics Mubarak was a career officer in the Egyptian Air Force, serving as its commander from 1972 to 1975.
Beginning on January 25, 2011, a popular uprising called for his resignation as president of Egypt.[1] On February 1, 2011, Mubarak announced that he will not seek another term in the upcoming presidential election.[2] On February 5, 2011 Egyptian state media reported that senior members of the ruling National Democratic Party, including President Hosni Mubarak, had resigned from leadership roles within the party, although
there was a discrepancy that President Mubarak maybe stayed on as
president.
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catch4all.com,
Sandra Englund, February 6th, 2011 |
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