For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 13, 2001
(madrid, Spain)
________________________________________________________________ Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and President Jose Maria Aznar President Bush and President Aznar Reaffirm the Close Friendship Between the United States and Spain, Rooted in Common History, Common Values and
common interests in Europe, the Mediterranean, Latin America, and
beyond. Building upon our Joint Declaration of January 11, 2001, we
commit ourselves to the shared goals of enhanced bilateral relations, a
stronger Transatlantic alliance, and a Europe whole, free and at
peace. We commit to work together and with other European states to
deepen Transatlantic economic relations and to seek out solutions when
we disagree. We reaffirm our commitment to the multilateral
trading system and strongly support the launch of a new round of global
trade negotiations this year. It is our goal to open
markets, both regionally and globally. We agree to intensify our
efforts to liberalize fully our bilateral civil aviation
relationship. We support the integration and ongoing
transformation of Europe's new democracies and support their
aspirations to join Europe's major institutions. We affirm that NATO
will remain the essential foundation of Transatlantic
security. We are resolved to further develop our cooperation
bilaterally and within the Atlantic Alliance and continue to make
essential contributions to the Alliance. NATO will continue
to adapt itself to meet new missions and challenges by strengthening
its capabilities; seeking to reinforce cooperation with Russia, Ukraine
and other members of the Partnership for Peace; and continuing to admit
to its ranks European democracies prepared to assume the
responsibilities of membership. Just as Spain's entry into
NATO in 1982 marked a milestone in its return to the Transatlantic
community, so NATO's continuing enlargement will allow new Allies to
join with and make contributions to an undivided Europe and
Euro-Atlantic area. We will work together to advance NATO's
enlargement at NATO's Prague Summit in November, 2002. We support
efforts of NATO's European Members and other European nations to assume
greater responsibility for crisis management in Europe by committing
new resources to strengthen their and NATO's capabilities and
developing the ability to manage efforts where NATO as a whole chooses
not to engage. The United States welcomes the European Union's
European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), intended to make Europe a
stronger, more capable partner in deterring and managing crises
affecting the security of the Transatlantic community. We
believe it is essential that the EU develop capabilities that enable it
to act when NATO as a whole is not engaged, in a manner that is fully
coordinated, compatible and transparent with NATO, and to provide for
the fullest possible participation of non-EU European
Allies. We also agree that the Alliance will be able to meet
the 21st century's new challenges most effectively by strengthening
cooperation in Transatlantic defense trade and the removal of
unnecessary governmenta l barriers and impediments to such trade. We
reaffirm our commitment to work with European Union and other partners
to consolidate the peace and build lasting stability in Southeast
Europe based on democratic governance, the rule of law, and increasing
integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. We condemn
extremists, such as those in Macedonia, who subvert the democratic
process through the use of violence. Our two countries are committed
to NATO-led operations in Bosnia and Kosovo, and will work with our
allies to transfer responsibilities for public security from combat
forces to specialized units and international police, and ultimately to
local authorities. We face a growing threat from the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles for their
delivery. We are engaged in a consultation process with all
interested parties about this new threat. We agree on the
need for a comprehensive security strategy that encompasses both
offensive and defensive deterrent systems, continues nuclear arms
reductions, and strengthens WMD and missile proliferation controls and
counter-proliferation measures. We renew our Joint Declaration
commitment to combat terrorism wherever it is encountered; to cooperate
closely in regions of the world where Spain and the United States share
strong common interests, notably, to promote democracy and human rights
in Latin America. We will continue our efforts in support of
the peace process in Colombia. In this context, the July
2000 Madrid Conference on Colombia is an example of transatlantic
cooperation that we seek to foster in the region. We will
also cooperate to bring an end to the violence and find a lasting
solution to the conflict in the Middle East. We will help the poorest
countries benefit from the international trading system and
technological development, to support access to information, develop
economic opportunities, and foster democratic societies across the
globe. Technological development will also help overcome
hunger, poverty, and disease in the developing world. With
our African partners, we will jointly commit to addressing conflict and
infectious disease -- especially HIV/AIDS -- and to promoting economic
growth and good governance. It is in all of our interests to
create a more stable and peaceful world and to make available the
benefits of globalization to all peoples. In order to pursue our
consultations, we look forward to meeting in the United States before
the end of the year, in advance of Spain's assuming the Presidency of
the European Union in the first semester of 2002.
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