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Article
White House on Murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 14, 2010 Statement by National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer on the murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico The President is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, including a U.S. citizen employee, her U.S. citizen husband, and the husband of a Mexican citizen employee. He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions. In concert with Mexican authorities, we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice. The President shares in the outrage of the Mexican people at the murders of thousands in Ciudad Juárez and elsewhere in Mexico. We will continue to work with Mexican President Felipe Calderón and his government to break the power of the drug trafficking organizations that operate in Mexico and far too often target and kill the innocent. This is a responsibility we must shoulder together, particularly in border communities where strong bonds of history, culture, and common interest bind the Mexican and the American people closely together.
14 March 2010
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Article
White House on First Lady’s Upcoming Visit to Mexico, April 13–15
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 12, 2010 Statement by the Press Secretary on a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama to Mexico In recognition of the deep ties between the United States and Mexico, First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Mexico City, Mexico, April 13-15, on her first solo official trip as First Lady. Mrs. Obama’s international agenda will amplify the President’s commitment to advancing mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual responsibility between nations and peoples around the world. During this visit, Mrs. Obama will have the opportunity to engage the citizens of Mexico, particularly young people, and build on her recent conversation with Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala de Calderon on the issues of education and economic advancement in both countries.
12 March 2010
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Article
White House on First Lady’s Upcoming Visit to Mexico, April 13–15
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 12, 2010 Statement by the Press Secretary on a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama to Mexico In recognition of the deep ties between the United States and Mexico, First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Mexico City, Mexico, April 13-15, on her first solo official trip as First Lady. Mrs. Obama’s international agenda will amplify the President’s commitment to advancing mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual responsibility between nations and peoples around the world. During this visit, Mrs. Obama will have the opportunity to engage the citizens of Mexico, particularly young people, and build on her recent conversation with Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala de Calderon on the issues of education and economic advancement in both countries.
12 March 2010
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Article
Cooperation Crucial to Western Hemisphere Nations’ Success
By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.Staff Writer Washington — The growing interdependence of nations in the Western Hemisphere makes the success of neighbors a compelling U.S. national security interest, a senior U.S. diplomat says. “Advancing that interest is a fundamental goal of our engagement in the Americas,” Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela told a congressional committee. Since taking office, President Obama has made engagement with the other nations of the Western Hemisphere a significant aspect of U.S. foreign policy. “In 1961 the Alliance for Progress captured the imagination of the Americas with a bold shared vision. We live in a very different world at the beginning of the 21st century,” Valenzuela said in prepared testimony March 10. “With few exceptions, the countries of the region are much more inclusive, prosperous and democratic.” Valenzuela, who is the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, traveled with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her recent diplomatic mission to Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Costa Rica before concluding the trip March 5 in Guatemala. Clinton held meetings with individual leaders and with groups of leaders focusing on three sets of issues: social equity and social justice; public security and law enforcement; and democratic governance. The U.S. Congress is focused on a range of issues in the region that include helping earthquake-stricken Haiti recover and providing earthquake recovery assistance to Chile; countering illegal drug trafficking; expanding human rights; resuming assistance to Honduras; checking Iran’s presence in the region; improving relations with El Salvador and Paraguay; and determining the status of Alan Gross, a contractor working for the U.S. Agency for International Development who is being detained in Cuba. “I hope today’s hearing will help create a framework for the Obama administration to build on its successful first year in the Americas through a number of key, concrete actions,” said Representative Eliot Engel, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. “Secretary Clinton’s trip to Latin America last week certainly is an excellent start.” Part of this outreach across the hemisphere, Engel said, includes the Obama administration’s commitment to multilateralism in foreign affairs. Valenzuela said that in today’s Western Hemisphere, much of what the United States wants to help accomplish hinges on the power of a shared vision — a vision of an inter-American community sharing values, challenges, history and responsibility. “We speak, accurately, of a region, and of big unifying agendas, but we know at the same time that our community comprises profoundly diverse nations and subregions,” he added. Success depends on the United States’ ability to divide things into respective spheres when necessary. “Our challenge is to carefully use our diplomatic and development tools, and our limited resources, to optimal effect,” he said. For the United States, success will depend on its ability to create networks of practical partnerships in the Americas that are focused on three priorities critical to every country of the region: promoting social and economic opportunity; ensuring safety for all citizens; and strengthening effective democratic governance, respect for human rights and accountability. He added that secure, clean energy is also a critical initiative.
12 March 2010
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Article
Cooperation Crucial to Western Hemisphere Nations’ Success
Secretary of State Clinton, center, poses with the children of U.S. Embassy employees in San Jose, Costa Rica, March 5.By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.Staff Writer Washington — The growing interdependence of nations in the Western Hemisphere makes the success of neighbors a compelling U.S. national security interest, a senior U.S. diplomat says. “Advancing that interest is a fundamental goal of our engagement in the Americas,” Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela told a congressional committee. Since taking office, President Obama has made engagement with the other nations of the Western Hemisphere a significant aspect of U.S. foreign policy. “In 1961 the Alliance for Progress captured the imagination of the Americas with a bold shared vision. We live in a very different world at the beginning of the 21st century,” Valenzuela said in prepared testimony March 10. “With few exceptions, the countries of the region are much more inclusive, prosperous and democratic.” Valenzuela, who is the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, traveled with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her recent diplomatic mission to Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Costa Rica before concluding the trip March 5 in Guatemala. Clinton held meetings with individual leaders and with groups of leaders focusing on three sets of issues: social equity and social justice; public security and law enforcement; and democratic governance. The U.S. Congress is focused on a range of issues in the region that include helping earthquake-stricken Haiti recover and providing earthquake recovery assistance to Chile; countering illegal drug trafficking; expanding human rights; resuming assistance to Honduras; checking Iran’s presence in the region; improving relations with El Salvador and Paraguay; and determining the status of Alan Gross, a contractor working for the U.S. Agency for International Development who is being detained in Cuba. “I hope today’s hearing will help create a framework for the Obama administration to build on its successful first year in the Americas through a number of key, concrete actions,” said Representative Eliot Engel, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. “Secretary Clinton’s trip to Latin America last week certainly is an excellent start.” Part of this outreach across the hemisphere, Engel said, includes the Obama administration’s commitment to multilateralism in foreign affairs. Valenzuela said that in today’s Western Hemisphere, much of what the United States wants to help accomplish hinges on the power of a shared vision — a vision of an inter-American community sharing values, challenges, history and responsibility. “We speak, accurately, of a region, and of big unifying agendas, but we know at the same time that our community comprises profoundly diverse nations and subregions,” he added. Success depends on the United States’ ability to divide things into respective spheres when necessary. “Our challenge is to carefully use our diplomatic and development tools, and our limited resources, to optimal effect,” he said. For the United States, success will depend on its ability to create networks of practical partnerships in the Americas that are focused on three priorities critical to every country of the region: promoting social and economic opportunity; ensuring safety for all citizens; and strengthening effective democratic governance, respect for human rights and accountability. He added that secure, clean energy is also a critical initiative.
12 March 2010
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Article
Earthquake in Chile
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles United States Meeting Chilean Earthquake Aid Requests Secretary Clinton Delivering Communications Equipment to Chile U.S. Stands with Chile in Wake of Devastating Quake Texts and Transcripts U.S. Air Force Medical Team in Chile to Support Relief Efforts State Department Press Briefing (March 5) Remarks by Clinton, Costa Rican and Dominican Republic Officials Remarks by Secretary Clinton, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Ambassador Simons on Current Developments in Chile President Obama on Earthquake in Chile Secretary Clinton on Earthquake in Chile Obama’s Call to President Bachelet of Chile on the Earthquake Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings (from White House) 2010 Earthquake in Chile (from U.S. Department of State) Podcast This Week from Washington, March 5 Audio file | Transcript SPANISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles Clinton lleva equipos de comunicación para ayudar a Chile en tareas de rescate y recuperación Estados Unidos se solidariza con Chile y ofrece su ayuda luego del terremoto Texts and Transcripts Equipo médico de la Fuerza Aérea de EE.UU. viaja a Chile Declaraciones de Clinton durante ministerial en Costa Rica Declaraciones del presidente Obama sobre el terremoto en Chile Secretaria Clinton afirma que EE.UU. está dispuesto a ayudar a Chile
11 March 2010
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Article
Obama Pledges Long-Term U.S. Commitment to Haiti
Haitian President René Préval, left, and President Obama return to the Oval Office after a White House press conference March 10.By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.Staff Writer Washington — The reconstruction of earthquake-stricken Haiti could take more than a decade and cost between $8 billion and $14 billion, but the United States pledges a lasting commitment to the people of Haiti to see it through, President Obama says. “The situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over,” Obama said at a White House press conference with Haitian President René Préval at his side March 10. “Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine.” “And with the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow. The challenge now is to prevent a second disaster,” Obama said. Préval thanked Obama for his commitment and thanked the United States for its outpouring of support and assistance, both military and civilian, in getting through the immediate crisis. But he also advised that there are strong lessons to be learned by the international community for its response in future natural disasters. “We must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti — the massive, spontaneous, generous help was a good response to the disaster. However, its effectiveness must be improved, because effectiveness depends on the quality of coordination,” Préval said. Préval was in Washington to meet with the president and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to discuss the situation in Haiti and his plans for the island nation’s recovery. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere and had not had a chance for full recovery from the effects of a 2008 hurricane when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the capital, Port-au-Prince, on January 12, killing an estimated 230,000 people and displacing millions. A preliminary study by international economists at the Inter-American Development Bank estimated that it will cost between $8.1 billion and $14 billion over a period of 10 years for a full recovery of the impoverished nation. The economists said no single international organization or nation could manage or pay for the reconstruction of Haiti, that it would take a combined effort because of the staggering destruction caused by the accumulated natural disasters. INTERNATIONAL DONORS’ CONFERENCE A donors’ conference to mobilize international support for the long-term development and recovery of Haiti will be held at the United Nations March 31. The conference “will be an opportunity, an important opportunity, for all parties,” Obama said. “Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future.” The ministerial-level conference is being sponsored jointly by the United States and the United Nations in cooperation with the Haitian government, and also with the support of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France and Spain. It is being called the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti. “Donor countries, international organizations and other partners will have an opportunity to pledge resources, to coordinate support of Haiti’s long-term recovery, and to commit to a sustained effort to support Haiti,” the State Department said in an announcement. In addition, the Dominican Republic, which is Haiti’s nearest neighbor, will host an international conference of high-level technical donors to evaluate the economic consequences of the earthquake. Scheduled for March 16–17 in Santo Domingo, it will serve as the base for the donors’ conference at the United Nations, according to Dominican government officials.
11 March 2010
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Article
Earthquake in Chile
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chile’s President-elect Sebastian Pinera speak at a airport news conference March 2. ENGLISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles United States Meeting Chilean Earthquake Aid Requests Secretary Clinton Delivering Communications Equipment to Chile U.S. Stands with Chile in Wake of Devastating Quake Texts and Transcripts U.S. Air Force Medical Team in Chile to Support Relief Efforts State Department Press Briefing (March 5) Remarks by Clinton, Costa Rican and Dominican Republic Officials Remarks by Secretary Clinton, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Ambassador Simons on Current Developments in Chile President Obama on Earthquake in Chile Secretary Clinton on Earthquake in Chile Obama’s Call to President Bachelet of Chile on the Earthquake Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings (from White House) 2010 Earthquake in Chile (from U.S. Department of State) Podcast This Week from Washington, March 5 Audio file | Transcript SPANISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles Clinton lleva equipos de comunicación para ayudar a Chile en tareas de rescate y recuperación Estados Unidos se solidariza con Chile y ofrece su ayuda luego del terremoto Texts and Transcripts Equipo médico de la Fuerza Aérea de EE.UU. viaja a Chile Declaraciones de Clinton durante ministerial en Costa Rica Declaraciones del presidente Obama sobre el terremoto en Chile Secretaria Clinton afirma que EE.UU. está dispuesto a ayudar a Chile
11 March 2010
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Article
Obama Pledges Long-Term U.S. Commitment to Haiti
Haitian President René Préval, left, and President Obama return to the Oval Office after a White House press conference March 10.By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.Staff Writer Washington — The reconstruction of earthquake-stricken Haiti could take more than a decade and cost between $8 billion and $14 billion, but the United States pledges a lasting commitment to the people of Haiti to see it through, President Obama says. “The situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over,” Obama said at a White House press conference with Haitian President René Préval at his side March 10. “Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine.” “And with the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow. The challenge now is to prevent a second disaster,” Obama said. Préval thanked Obama for his commitment and thanked the United States for its outpouring of support and assistance, both military and civilian, in getting through the immediate crisis. But he also advised that there are strong lessons to be learned by the international community for its response in future natural disasters. “We must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti — the massive, spontaneous, generous help was a good response to the disaster. However, its effectiveness must be improved, because effectiveness depends on the quality of coordination,” Préval said. Préval was in Washington to meet with the president and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to discuss the situation in Haiti and his plans for the island nation’s recovery. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere and had not had a chance for full recovery from the effects of a 2008 hurricane when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the capital, Port-au-Prince, on January 12, killing an estimated 230,000 people and displacing millions. A preliminary study by international economists at the Inter-American Development Bank estimated that it will cost between $8.1 billion and $14 billion over a period of 10 years for a full recovery of the impoverished nation. The economists said no single international organization or nation could manage or pay for the reconstruction of Haiti, that it would take a combined effort because of the staggering destruction caused by the accumulated natural disasters. INTERNATIONAL DONORS’ CONFERENCE A donors’ conference to mobilize international support for the long-term development and recovery of Haiti will be held at the United Nations March 31. The conference “will be an opportunity, an important opportunity, for all parties,” Obama said. “Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future.” The ministerial-level conference is being sponsored jointly by the United States and the United Nations in cooperation with the Haitian government, and also with the support of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France and Spain. It is being called the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti. “Donor countries, international organizations and other partners will have an opportunity to pledge resources, to coordinate support of Haiti’s long-term recovery, and to commit to a sustained effort to support Haiti,” the State Department said in an announcement. In addition, the Dominican Republic, which is Haiti’s nearest neighbor, will host an international conference of high-level technical donors to evaluate the economic consequences of the earthquake. Scheduled for March 16–17 in Santo Domingo, it will serve as the base for the donors’ conference at the United Nations, according to Dominican government officials.
11 March 2010
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Article
Earthquake in Chile
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles United States Meeting Chilean Earthquake Aid Requests Secretary Clinton Delivering Communications Equipment to Chile U.S. Stands with Chile in Wake of Devastating Quake Texts and Transcripts U.S. Air Force Medical Team in Chile to Support Relief Efforts State Department Press Briefing (March 5) Remarks by Clinton, Costa Rican and Dominican Republic Officials Remarks by Secretary Clinton, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Ambassador Simons on Current Developments in Chile President Obama on Earthquake in Chile Secretary Clinton on Earthquake in Chile Obama’s Call to President Bachelet of Chile on the Earthquake Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings (from White House) 2010 Earthquake in Chile (from U.S. Department of State) Podcast This Week from Washington, March 5 Audio file | Transcript SPANISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES Articles Clinton lleva equipos de comunicación para ayudar a Chile en tareas de rescate y recuperación Estados Unidos se solidariza con Chile y ofrece su ayuda luego del terremoto Texts and Transcripts Equipo médico de la Fuerza Aérea de EE.UU. viaja a Chile Declaraciones de Clinton durante ministerial en Costa Rica Declaraciones del presidente Obama sobre el terremoto en Chile Secretaria Clinton afirma que EE.UU. está dispuesto a ayudar a Chile
11 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by President Obama and Haitian President Préval
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 10, 2010 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT PRÉVAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI Rose Garden 12:01 P.M. EST PRESIDENT OBAMA: Please be seated. Good afternoon, everybody. And on behalf of the American people, I want to welcome President Préval, the First Lady, and their delegation to the United States. The President and I have just concluded a very productive meeting in the Oval Office on the urgent and overriding challenges before us -- helping the people of Haiti as they recover and rebuild after one of the most devastating natural disasters ever to strike our hemisphere. Mr. President, as I did when I spoke to you in those first days after the earthquake, I again want to express to you and to the Haitian people the deepest condolences of the American people. Your grief is shared by our strong and vibrant Haitian American community, some of whom join us here today and who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones back in Haiti. To you, and to our fellow Americans, please know that you remain in our thoughts and in our prayers. The United States joins in mourning the loss of American citizens, as more than 100 Americans died in this earthquake -- and our hearts also go out to their loved ones. We also remember that this natural disaster was an international tragedy, taking the lives of Dominicans and Canadians, French, Brazilians, and people from dozens of nations around the world. President Préval and his delegation offered an update on the status of relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts -- the progress so far and the daunting challenges ahead in a disaster that, even now, defies comprehension. To offer just some perspective on the awful scale of Haitian loss, it’s as if the United States, in a terrible instant, lost nearly 8 million people; or it’s as if one-third of our country -- 100 million Americans -- suddenly had no home, no food, or water. That gives you a sense of, relative to the populations, what has happened in Haiti. No nation could respond to such a catastrophe alone. It would require a global response. And that’s exactly what we have seen these past two months. Mr. President, even as you and other Haitian leaders have endured your personal tragedies -- losing your own homes, your loved ones -- you have carried on with great courage and determination. You’ve persevered, leading an international effort with critical support from the United Nations, many partner nations and countless nongovernmental organizations. Representatives of some of the NGOs are here today, and for the extraordinary work that you’ve done to uplift lives every day -- in Haiti and around the world -- often at great risk to your own lives, we salute you as well. In this international response, the United States has been proud to play a leading role. Mr. President, we are joined today by men and women representing all the Americans who answered Haiti’s call in its hours of need, including members of Congress, and many state and local officials who we thank for their support, and leaders from across my administration -- the Department of State, USAID, Homeland Security, FEMA, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Department of Defense, including our great folks at Southern Command. Today I want to thank all of them for leading a swift and coordinated response during one of the most complex humanitarian efforts ever attempted. We’re joined by Ambassador Ken Merten and some of our heroic embassy staff who worked around the clock. We’re joined by our disaster response teams, who were on the scene within 24 hours; our military personnel who quickly reopened the airport and the port, making way for a massive humanitarian effort; our search and rescue teams, who crawled into the rubble to pull survivors out to safety, Haitian and American; the volunteer physicians and nurses and paramedics who treated tens of thousands of patients with life-threatening injuries; and all our men and women in uniform who have helped to distribute desperately needed food and water and medicine to millions of people -- our remarkable soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. I just want to personally say how extraordinarily proud I am of each and every one of you, because I think you represent what’s best in America. And I could not be prouder of the response that all of you were engaged in during this humanitarian crisis. Now, no relief effort of this magnitude is without its difficulties, but there should be absolutely no doubt in anybody’s mind, along with their Haitian and international partners, these men and women made a difference. They saved lives -- countless lives -- of men and women and children. So, Mr. President, if you will permit us this moment to briefly express once again our admiration for all those who stepped forward, who volunteered, who represent the true character of our country and who projected to the world the best face of America -- a face of compassion and generosity. Each and every one of you can take enormous pride at your service, and every single American thanks you for making us so proud. (Applause.) I also want to acknowledge the enormous generosity of so many individual Americans, who gave what they could to support Haiti even in difficult economic times. That help makes possible an extraordinary response from the courageous and capable nongovernmental organizations that have been at the scene, and that support all kinds of efforts that the government is engaged in. And I know that the support of the American people will continue to be essential as Haiti tries to recover and rebuild. As President Préval and I discussed, the situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over. Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine. And with the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow. The challenge now is to prevent a second disaster. And that’s why, at this very moment, thousands of Americans, both civilian and military, remain on the scene at the invitation of the Haitian government. And that’s why, even as the U.S. military responsibly hands off relief functions to our Haitian and international partners, America’s commitment to Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction must endure and will endure. This pledge is one that I made at the beginning of this crisis and I intend for America to keep our pledge. America will be your partner in the recovery and reconstruction effort. (Applause.) Toward that end, the international donors conference at the United Nations later this month will be an opportunity, an important opportunity, for all parties. Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future. The international community can pledge the resources that will be necessary for a coordinated and sustained effort. And working together, we can ensure that assistance not simply delivers relief for the short term, but builds up Haiti’s capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the Haitian people over the long term. So, Mr. President, in the face of devastation that shocked the world, the people of Haiti responded with resolve and faith that inspired the world -- in song and in prayer, and in the determination to carry on. As you declared during last month’s national day of mourning, it is time to wipe away the tears; it is time for Haiti to rebuild. And to you, and to the Haitian people, I say today, as you embark on the heavy work ahead, you will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America. (Applause.) So with that, let me turn this over to President Préval. PRESIDENT PRÉVAL: (As translated.) Mr. President, dear friends in Congress, members of the organizations that helped Haiti in this moment of need, the Haitians of Washington. The damages caused in Haiti by the earthquake of January 12, 2010 are unimaginable. But the response from the international community -- from Asia to Africa, from the United States, from Canada, from all of Latin America, from the Caribbean, from Europe, all the way to the Middle East -- this response, thanks to its swiftness, thanks to its size, was commensurate with the disaster. Today, here and now, I would like to thank the American people, I would like to thank Congress, I would like to thank the administration, and you, in particular, Mr. President, as well as your wife, not only for the material aid, but also for the moral support, the psychological support, that helped us realize that we were not alone and that provide us great comfort in our distress. You, thanks to your statements, sent a message to all of those who provided help to Haiti. Needless for me to repeat that which you said. So I would like to thank you for having made it possible for these people to come to help us. Mr. President, for me this is also an opportunity to express my sympathy, my condolences, to all of the American families for whom members of their families were killed, injured in Haiti during this earthquake. Dear friends, we must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti. These are lessons for all of mankind. The Haiti earthquake was immediately followed by the earthquake in Chile, as well as other earthquakes throughout the world. And the countries that have seismic risks are not merely those countries which are located on top of seismic faults. In fact, the tsunamis, which are the repercussions of break in faults, threaten other regions as well as the United States. In addition to earthquakes and tsunamis, global warming is a major concern for the entire planet. We must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti -- the massive, spontaneous, generous help was a good response to the disaster. However, its effectiveness must be improved, because effectiveness depends on the quality of coordination. This is why I support the idea of the creation of so-called “red helmets” within the United Nations, and these would be an observatory, a warning system, a provision system for natural disaster, and a humanitarian force which would be the equivalent of the blue helmets. It was proposed that there should be so-called “red helmets,” a humanitarian force in order to intervene, and that would work in a coordinated manner as soon as the first minutes after a disaster, which are fundamental to saving lives. Mr. President, during our meeting I mentioned what Haiti’s preoccupations and priorities were. Our priorities are, first and foremost, as you said, protection of those people who today are homeless and who must be relocated. And in parallel, we must prepare the rainy season, which just last week has already caused the deaths of 15 people. And at the same time, much more basically, we must deal with the need of rebuilding Haiti, thanks to an effective decentralization policy -- namely, offering health care, education, jobs to all Haitians, men and women, regardless of where they live in the country, in order to prevent migratory flows towards the big cities, towards Port-au-Prince, and that will help avoid that disaster such as the earthquake would cause so many victims. On March 31st, there will be at the United Nations an international conference in order to support the reconstruction of Haiti. I do hope that all participants will share this philosophy, this vision, of decentralization. And at the same time, just as the first responders, I do recommend the concept of a coordination via the creation of a trust fund, a donors trust fund, whose implementation would be done followed according to a unique procedure carried out by one executing agency. We talked about this and I do know that we can already count on your support to be the advocate of that idea during this conference in support of our vision. Thank you very much. (Applause.) END 12:18 P.M. EST
10 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by President Obama and Haitian President Préval
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 10, 2010 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT PRÉVAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI Rose Garden 12:01 P.M. EST PRESIDENT OBAMA: Please be seated. Good afternoon, everybody. And on behalf of the American people, I want to welcome President Préval, the First Lady, and their delegation to the United States. The President and I have just concluded a very productive meeting in the Oval Office on the urgent and overriding challenges before us -- helping the people of Haiti as they recover and rebuild after one of the most devastating natural disasters ever to strike our hemisphere. Mr. President, as I did when I spoke to you in those first days after the earthquake, I again want to express to you and to the Haitian people the deepest condolences of the American people. Your grief is shared by our strong and vibrant Haitian American community, some of whom join us here today and who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones back in Haiti. To you, and to our fellow Americans, please know that you remain in our thoughts and in our prayers. The United States joins in mourning the loss of American citizens, as more than 100 Americans died in this earthquake -- and our hearts also go out to their loved ones. We also remember that this natural disaster was an international tragedy, taking the lives of Dominicans and Canadians, French, Brazilians, and people from dozens of nations around the world. President Préval and his delegation offered an update on the status of relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts -- the progress so far and the daunting challenges ahead in a disaster that, even now, defies comprehension. To offer just some perspective on the awful scale of Haitian loss, it’s as if the United States, in a terrible instant, lost nearly 8 million people; or it’s as if one-third of our country -- 100 million Americans -- suddenly had no home, no food, or water. That gives you a sense of, relative to the populations, what has happened in Haiti. No nation could respond to such a catastrophe alone. It would require a global response. And that’s exactly what we have seen these past two months. Mr. President, even as you and other Haitian leaders have endured your personal tragedies -- losing your own homes, your loved ones -- you have carried on with great courage and determination. You’ve persevered, leading an international effort with critical support from the United Nations, many partner nations and countless nongovernmental organizations. Representatives of some of the NGOs are here today, and for the extraordinary work that you’ve done to uplift lives every day -- in Haiti and around the world -- often at great risk to your own lives, we salute you as well. In this international response, the United States has been proud to play a leading role. Mr. President, we are joined today by men and women representing all the Americans who answered Haiti’s call in its hours of need, including members of Congress, and many state and local officials who we thank for their support, and leaders from across my administration -- the Department of State, USAID, Homeland Security, FEMA, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Department of Defense, including our great folks at Southern Command. Today I want to thank all of them for leading a swift and coordinated response during one of the most complex humanitarian efforts ever attempted. We’re joined by Ambassador Ken Merten and some of our heroic embassy staff who worked around the clock. We’re joined by our disaster response teams, who were on the scene within 24 hours; our military personnel who quickly reopened the airport and the port, making way for a massive humanitarian effort; our search and rescue teams, who crawled into the rubble to pull survivors out to safety, Haitian and American; the volunteer physicians and nurses and paramedics who treated tens of thousands of patients with life-threatening injuries; and all our men and women in uniform who have helped to distribute desperately needed food and water and medicine to millions of people -- our remarkable soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. I just want to personally say how extraordinarily proud I am of each and every one of you, because I think you represent what’s best in America. And I could not be prouder of the response that all of you were engaged in during this humanitarian crisis. Now, no relief effort of this magnitude is without its difficulties, but there should be absolutely no doubt in anybody’s mind, along with their Haitian and international partners, these men and women made a difference. They saved lives -- countless lives -- of men and women and children. So, Mr. President, if you will permit us this moment to briefly express once again our admiration for all those who stepped forward, who volunteered, who represent the true character of our country and who projected to the world the best face of America -- a face of compassion and generosity. Each and every one of you can take enormous pride at your service, and every single American thanks you for making us so proud. (Applause.) I also want to acknowledge the enormous generosity of so many individual Americans, who gave what they could to support Haiti even in difficult economic times. That help makes possible an extraordinary response from the courageous and capable nongovernmental organizations that have been at the scene, and that support all kinds of efforts that the government is engaged in. And I know that the support of the American people will continue to be essential as Haiti tries to recover and rebuild. As President Préval and I discussed, the situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over. Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine. And with the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow. The challenge now is to prevent a second disaster. And that’s why, at this very moment, thousands of Americans, both civilian and military, remain on the scene at the invitation of the Haitian government. And that’s why, even as the U.S. military responsibly hands off relief functions to our Haitian and international partners, America’s commitment to Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction must endure and will endure. This pledge is one that I made at the beginning of this crisis and I intend for America to keep our pledge. America will be your partner in the recovery and reconstruction effort. (Applause.) Toward that end, the international donors conference at the United Nations later this month will be an opportunity, an important opportunity, for all parties. Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future. The international community can pledge the resources that will be necessary for a coordinated and sustained effort. And working together, we can ensure that assistance not simply delivers relief for the short term, but builds up Haiti’s capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the Haitian people over the long term. So, Mr. President, in the face of devastation that shocked the world, the people of Haiti responded with resolve and faith that inspired the world -- in song and in prayer, and in the determination to carry on. As you declared during last month’s national day of mourning, it is time to wipe away the tears; it is time for Haiti to rebuild. And to you, and to the Haitian people, I say today, as you embark on the heavy work ahead, you will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America. (Applause.) So with that, let me turn this over to President Préval. PRESIDENT PRÉVAL: (As translated.) Mr. President, dear friends in Congress, members of the organizations that helped Haiti in this moment of need, the Haitians of Washington. The damages caused in Haiti by the earthquake of January 12, 2010 are unimaginable. But the response from the international community -- from Asia to Africa, from the United States, from Canada, from all of Latin America, from the Caribbean, from Europe, all the way to the Middle East -- this response, thanks to its swiftness, thanks to its size, was commensurate with the disaster. Today, here and now, I would like to thank the American people, I would like to thank Congress, I would like to thank the administration, and you, in particular, Mr. President, as well as your wife, not only for the material aid, but also for the moral support, the psychological support, that helped us realize that we were not alone and that provide us great comfort in our distress. You, thanks to your statements, sent a message to all of those who provided help to Haiti. Needless for me to repeat that which you said. So I would like to thank you for having made it possible for these people to come to help us. Mr. President, for me this is also an opportunity to express my sympathy, my condolences, to all of the American families for whom members of their families were killed, injured in Haiti during this earthquake. Dear friends, we must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti. These are lessons for all of mankind. The Haiti earthquake was immediately followed by the earthquake in Chile, as well as other earthquakes throughout the world. And the countries that have seismic risks are not merely those countries which are located on top of seismic faults. In fact, the tsunamis, which are the repercussions of break in faults, threaten other regions as well as the United States. In addition to earthquakes and tsunamis, global warming is a major concern for the entire planet. We must draw the lessons from what occurred in Haiti -- the massive, spontaneous, generous help was a good response to the disaster. However, its effectiveness must be improved, because effectiveness depends on the quality of coordination. This is why I support the idea of the creation of so-called “red helmets” within the United Nations, and these would be an observatory, a warning system, a provision system for natural disaster, and a humanitarian force which would be the equivalent of the blue helmets. It was proposed that there should be so-called “red helmets,” a humanitarian force in order to intervene, and that would work in a coordinated manner as soon as the first minutes after a disaster, which are fundamental to saving lives. Mr. President, during our meeting I mentioned what Haiti’s preoccupations and priorities were. Our priorities are, first and foremost, as you said, protection of those people who today are homeless and who must be relocated. And in parallel, we must prepare the rainy season, which just last week has already caused the deaths of 15 people. And at the same time, much more basically, we must deal with the need of rebuilding Haiti, thanks to an effective decentralization policy -- namely, offering health care, education, jobs to all Haitians, men and women, regardless of where they live in the country, in order to prevent migratory flows towards the big cities, towards Port-au-Prince, and that will help avoid that disaster such as the earthquake would cause so many victims. On March 31st, there will be at the United Nations an international conference in order to support the reconstruction of Haiti. I do hope that all participants will share this philosophy, this vision, of decentralization. And at the same time, just as the first responders, I do recommend the concept of a coordination via the creation of a trust fund, a donors trust fund, whose implementation would be done followed according to a unique procedure carried out by one executing agency. We talked about this and I do know that we can already count on your support to be the advocate of that idea during this conference in support of our vision. Thank you very much. (Applause.) END 12:18 P.M. EST
10 March 2010