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“SOUTH AMERICA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S437 on Feb. 1, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SOUTH AMERICA
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, earlier this month,I led a delegation to South America to review security, trade, and foreign assistance issues. Joining me were Senators Martinez, Burr, and Thune. With the exception of my friend from Florida, this was the first visit to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile for my colleagues and me. In short, this is a region full of promise--and problems.
Let me begin my remarks with a word of appreciation to the Governments of Brazil, Argentina and Chile for their excellent cooperation on security matters, including countering terrorism and narcotics. These are shared threats and pose myriad challenges, whether in the case of Brazil's massive border--particularly with Colombia and Venezuela--the notorious tri-border area--TBA--of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, or vicious terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests in Buenos Aires in the 1990s. Given the unequivocal support for indigenous coca growers by Bolivia's new President, Evo Morales, I encourage the State Department to further strengthen cooperation on security matters with these countries in the months and years ahead.
Brazil, Argentina and Chile also deserve recognition for their participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions, particularly in Haiti. While not always popular with domestic constituencies, their respective contributions provide critical support for international efforts to secure stability in the region. Peacekeeping is not without risks, and I condemn attacks against peacekeepers in Haiti, including the recent incident in the Cite Soleil district of Port-au-Prince that killed two Jordanian nationals.
Brazil, Argentina and Chile should be recognized for their support of democracy and human rights throughout the region. While we did not see eye-to-eye on every issue, it is clear everyone is watching Bolivia and Venezuela closely. In one meeting in Brasilia, Senator Martinez counseled that in determining the new agenda of President Morales, the region would be wise to ``trust but verify.'' This is a wise maxim whether assessing coca cultivation or threats to nationalize the energy sector in Bolivia, or professed support for democracy and justice in Chavez's Venezuela.
In general, there is significant room for improvement in U.S. trade relations with Brazil and Argentina, particularly regarding intellectual property rights and demonstrable support for the free trade area of the Americas negotiation. Through meetings with business leaders in Brazil and Argentina, the delegation heard first hand many of the challenges facing the business community in both countries. President Kirchner would be wise to listen to the concerns of international companies doing business in the region regarding price controls and the harassment and intimidation of business leaders.
As one businessman familiar with Argentina's investment climate quipped, ``If you want to make a small fortune in Argentina, go there with a big one.'' The challenge for President Kirchner is to maintain expansion of Argentina's economy by attracting investment and capital--
and not aiding in its flight.
Let me close with a word or two on Chile, a country clearly committed to democracy, the rule of law and free trade. Our delegation was heartened by the views of our Chilean friends and U.S. country team that regardless of the outcome of the January 15 elections, won by Michelle Bachelet, democracy was alive and well in Chile, and that our bilateral relationship would remain strong. I am pleased our bilateral free trade agreement, FTA, with Chile has been beneficial to both U.S. and Chilean businesses, with exports boosted by an estimated 40 percent since the FTA's implementation in January 2004. Still, there is room for improvement, and I encourage continued engagement on intellectual property rights issues. Ambassador Craig Kelly and his team are doing a terrific job in Santiago, and I have every confidence that under his capable leadership relations will continue to be vibrant and strong.
Mr. President, I have shared a few, brief observations of this trip, but I hope Senator Martinez,--who has much experience in this part of the world, will speak to this body on his views of the region and, in particular, the challenges to U.S. policy and business interests posed by Presidents Chavez of Venezuela, Morales of Bolivia, and Castro of Cuba. There is much going on in South America deserving of the Senate's close scrutiny.
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