Bush, Toledo vow common fronts on poverty, terrorism<\/p>\n
Olivier Knox, Agence France-Presse, Lima<\/p>\n
U.S. President George W. Bush was to depart Lima for El Salvador
\nearly on Sunday (Sunday night in Jakarta), after vowing to stand
\nshoulder-to-shoulder with Peru's Alejandro Toledo in the battle
\nagainst terrorism and poverty.<\/p>\n
Three days after a bombing killed nine people and injured 30
\nmore near the U.S. embassy here, Bush, on a day-long visit here,
\nexpressed "deep sympathy" for the loss of life and said he and
\nhis host "share a common perspective on terrorism: We must stop
\nit."<\/p>\n
Toledo said Peru and the United States were allies in "a war
\nwithout quarter against terrorism and drug trafficking" and said
\nhe and Bush shared "the energy and the stubbornness" required to
\nachieve victory.<\/p>\n
Bush stops in San Salvador on Sunday to talk trade with
\nCentral American leaders before heading back to Washington.
\nPeruvian authorities deployed an unprecedented security arsenal
\nduring the visit, placing its MIG-29 fighters on highest alert to
\nintercept any wayward planes, while snipers patrolled the
\nrooftops along the route and near Bush's hotel.<\/p>\n
Helicopters tracked Bush's motorcade from the moment it left
\nthe military airport of Callao and also patrolled the skies above
\nLima, while 22,000 policy deployed to the city's streets --
\nincluding 2,000 special operations forces, 70 members trained for
\nrapid intervention force.<\/p>\n
"We have experienced the effects of terrorism here for 20
\nyears. The United States, on September 11th," said Toledo, who
\nnoted he learned of the attack on the United States over
\nbreakfast here with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.<\/p>\n
Bush and Toledo put their back-slapping friendship on display
\nduring the first visit here by a US head of state. The smiling
\nleaders bantered easily about more trivial qualities they shared
\n-- like their almost identical blue ties, or their age -- as they
\nannounced a series of agreements in the cavernous hall of the
\nPresidential Palace.<\/p>\n
"I know you seem younger than I am, but we are both 55 years
\nold," Toledo said through an interpreter. "We may be the same
\nage, but el tiene pelo negro. Yo tengo pelo gris. (he has black
\nhair. I have grey hair.)," countered Bush.<\/p>\n
"President Bush has very good taste with regard to color in
\nties ... he's also taller than I am," rejoined Toledo.<\/p>\n
Marshalling his visit's symbolic power to help the politically
\nstruggling Toledo, Bush praised him as a "leader who symbolizes
\nPeru's revitalization" and touted Peru's institutions as "a
\nbeacon for democracy."<\/p>\n
The visiting president announced a resumption of Peace Corps
\nmissions here, with the first volunteers expected here in August
\nafter a 27-year hiatus; and a tripling of U.S. counter-narcotics
\naid to Peru, the world's second-largest source of cocaine.<\/p>\n
Bush said he had not decided whether to renew anti-drug
\nsurveillance flights over Peru, suspended last year after a
\nPeruvian military jet, acting on intelligence provided by a U.S.
\nsurveillance plane, shot down a civilian aircraft, killing a U.S.
\nmissionary and her infant daughter.<\/p>\n
"We are reviewing all avenues toward an effective policy of
\ninterdiction," Bush declared, noting the incident had cause
\nWashington to "step back" from the policy.<\/p>\n
Bush also reaffirmed his administration's commitment to renew
\nand extend the Andean Trade Preferences Act, which has been
\napproved by the US House of Representatives but is still
\nlingering in the Senate.<\/p>\n
Bush later discussed ATPA renewal with Toledo and leaders of
\nBolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, one of whom said "the Senate is
\nmanana-ing this to death," White House officials said, declining
\nto identify the speaker.<\/p>\n
U.S. lawmakers allowed the 1991 accord, which eliminates
\ntarriffs on some of those nations' exports provided they battle
\nthe drug trade, to lapse last December.<\/p>\n
The U.S. leader also announced a high-level trade mission to
\nPeru and other Andean nations in order to promote commerce,
\neconomic development, as well as a viable alternative to local
\npeasants who currently live on cultivating coca.<\/p>\n
The mission, to take place later this year, will be led by
\nCommerce Secretary Donald Evans.<\/p>",
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