Bush, Toledo vow common fronts on poverty, terrorism
Bush, Toledo vow common fronts on poverty, terrorism
Olivier Knox, Agence France-Presse, Lima
U.S. President George W. Bush was to depart Lima for El Salvador early on Sunday (Sunday night in Jakarta), after vowing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Peru's Alejandro Toledo in the battle against terrorism and poverty.
Three days after a bombing killed nine people and injured 30 more near the U.S. embassy here, Bush, on a day-long visit here, expressed "deep sympathy" for the loss of life and said he and his host "share a common perspective on terrorism: We must stop it."
Toledo said Peru and the United States were allies in "a war without quarter against terrorism and drug trafficking" and said he and Bush shared "the energy and the stubbornness" required to achieve victory.
Bush stops in San Salvador on Sunday to talk trade with Central American leaders before heading back to Washington. Peruvian authorities deployed an unprecedented security arsenal during the visit, placing its MIG-29 fighters on highest alert to intercept any wayward planes, while snipers patrolled the rooftops along the route and near Bush's hotel.
Helicopters tracked Bush's motorcade from the moment it left the military airport of Callao and also patrolled the skies above Lima, while 22,000 policy deployed to the city's streets -- including 2,000 special operations forces, 70 members trained for rapid intervention force.
"We have experienced the effects of terrorism here for 20 years. The United States, on September 11th," said Toledo, who noted he learned of the attack on the United States over breakfast here with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Bush and Toledo put their back-slapping friendship on display during the first visit here by a US head of state. The smiling leaders bantered easily about more trivial qualities they shared -- like their almost identical blue ties, or their age -- as they announced a series of agreements in the cavernous hall of the Presidential Palace.
"I know you seem younger than I am, but we are both 55 years old," Toledo said through an interpreter. "We may be the same age, but el tiene pelo negro. Yo tengo pelo gris. (he has black hair. I have grey hair.)," countered Bush.
"President Bush has very good taste with regard to color in ties ... he's also taller than I am," rejoined Toledo.
Marshalling his visit's symbolic power to help the politically struggling Toledo, Bush praised him as a "leader who symbolizes Peru's revitalization" and touted Peru's institutions as "a beacon for democracy."
The visiting president announced a resumption of Peace Corps missions here, with the first volunteers expected here in August after a 27-year hiatus; and a tripling of U.S. counter-narcotics aid to Peru, the world's second-largest source of cocaine.
Bush said he had not decided whether to renew anti-drug surveillance flights over Peru, suspended last year after a Peruvian military jet, acting on intelligence provided by a U.S. surveillance plane, shot down a civilian aircraft, killing a U.S. missionary and her infant daughter.
"We are reviewing all avenues toward an effective policy of interdiction," Bush declared, noting the incident had cause Washington to "step back" from the policy.
Bush also reaffirmed his administration's commitment to renew and extend the Andean Trade Preferences Act, which has been approved by the US House of Representatives but is still lingering in the Senate.
Bush later discussed ATPA renewal with Toledo and leaders of Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, one of whom said "the Senate is manana-ing this to death," White House officials said, declining to identify the speaker.
U.S. lawmakers allowed the 1991 accord, which eliminates tarriffs on some of those nations' exports provided they battle the drug trade, to lapse last December.
The U.S. leader also announced a high-level trade mission to Peru and other Andean nations in order to promote commerce, economic development, as well as a viable alternative to local peasants who currently live on cultivating coca.
The mission, to take place later this year, will be led by Commerce Secretary Donald Evans.