Statement by Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
December 4, 2007
I am gratified by the Senate’s bipartisan approval
of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. This is a strong
agreement that will benefit both our countries. U.S. businesses,
workers, farmers, and ranchers will now be able to compete
on a level playing field with their Peruvian counterparts,
and U.S. investors will have greater opportunities to play
a positive role in the Peruvian economy. Peruvian access
to the U.S. market, which had to be renewed by Congress
periodically, will become permanent. This permanent access
will help build a more efficient and effective economic
engine to create growth, jobs and economic opportunities
both in Peru and in the United States.
Our collective efforts on both sides of
the aisle and with regional partners have gone a long way
to establish better two-way trade; and all parties should
be commended for seizing the opportunity to benefit all
of our citizens. The Senate’s swift vote further reinforces
the message that the United States will continue to build
stronger relationships with committed partners in the hemisphere.
I urge Congress, as we begin a new year,
to move forward with the same energy and focus that brought
about this agreement’s passage, to the pending trade
agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
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