Powell Meeting with Colombian President Uribe

Remarks After His Meeting with Colombian President Uribe

Secretary Colin L. Powell Outside the Blair House Washington, DC September 25, 2002

(4:15 p.m. EDT)

SECRETARY POWELL: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I just finished a meeting with President Uribe at the end of his very successful visit here in the United States. As you know, he met with the President earlier today and with other officials in the course of the day. And I must say, we were all deeply impressed with President Uribe's commitment to eradicating narcotrafficking, his commitment to social development in Colombia. And we're very pleased that the Colombian Government has completed its security and defense program.

And as a result of all of the work that he has done already, I am pleased to say that the President earlier today announced and let it be known to President Uribe that Colombia will now be eligible for the enhanced Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act benefits, as will Bolivia and Peru, and we are working with Ecuador to see how we can improve their eligibility as quickly as possible.

So I think it's been a very successful trip for President Uribe and we look forward to working with him in the months ahead. Thank you so much.

[End]

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