U.S. government and business advance the Middle East peace process - Sec. of State Warren Christopher; Sec. of Commerce Ronald H. Brown - Transcript

US Department of State Dispatch, Nov 13, 1995

Secretary Christopher

Thank you. Well, we are running on Middle East time. I am sorry we got a little behind, but the result of this is a happy one for you because I have thrown away my 45-minute speech and I am just going to thank you very much for coming. You are what makes this go. Governments can provide the foundation, but it is business that really does the job. I am so grateful that all o you are here. And I am grateful for the good talk I hear around the corridors i the deals that have been announced. It is a real tribute to American business that you have the courage and determination nation to be out here.

We are trying very hard to help. When I say we, I mean a unified government team. I thought it was a nice touch that the first person who applauded at the name of our ambassador was the Secretary of Commerce. I think that is a reflection of how closely Ron Brown, myself, and others are working together on this. It is a unified team. The Small Business Administration is represented here by Phil Lader. Ruth Harkin of OPIC has been delayed on her flight in Brussels. I know that she will be here tonight. The Trade and Development Administration is heavily involved. We want to make clear to you that our Administration is friendly to business. We want to do all we can to help business.

Without reaching over too hard to pat myself on the back, I think this is the best relationship between the State Department and the Commerce Department - probably in history. Certainly, it is a very good one. That is what American business deserves. You have made a big difference here. I think we have an opportunity to capitalize on Casablanca and to move it forward. Frankly, after Casablanca last year I was worried. I worried whether or not we could sustain our momentum. Now, I am satisfied that not only are we going to be able to do the three things we committed do in Casablanca - to set up the bank, to set up the tourism association, and to set up the business association - but we can move beyond these goals to new areas of cooperation. I have just come from meeting with the King, who, I think, is justifiably proud of what has been done here in Amman.

One of the nice things happening here is that people are beginning to compete for future events like this. A number of countries that want to host next year's event are even talking about 1997 events. The growing competition to host the bank and where various elements are located is the measure, I think, of the success of these endeavors. My experience with American businesses is that they have their eye on the ball and they are here because they think that there are opportunities. You have a business opportunity, but you also have a chance to participate in probably the most historic transformation of any region we have seen in a long, long time. You just could not imagine, two years ago, a conference such as this taking place. I was watching King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin sitting together at lunch today. They acted as though they had been friends for 40 years. It was a very close relationship between the two of them. I think more progress has been made between Jordan and Israel in the last year than has been made. with almost any other pair of countries. That is all good news. I hope that this means good things for you.

Now, with a great deal of pleasure, I introduce my partner in this endeavor, Ron Brown, Secretary of Commerce.

Secretary Brown

Let me just say that you are the reason that we are here. One of the things that was most pleasing to me is that Secretary Warren Christopher some months ago approached me and asked me to be here with him in Amman. I think that gives you a signal that reinforces what Secretary Christopher said about our relationship. But the relationship goes farther than just between two individuals and between two departments in the Federal Government. It permeates throughout the Clinton Administration.

The fact is that our commercial offices are working more closely with our ambassadors than ever before. We are all part of the same team, pulling in the same direction - some people tell me for the first time in recent American history. It is all agencies of our government working together because we understand a simple truth. That is, it is the private sector that fuels the engine that pulls the train of economic growth and job creation. We in government have a role to play as well. That role is to clear the tracks so that the train can run smoothly and swiftly. So it can get to its destination, we remove any barriers that get in the way. That is the kind of partnership that we have attempted to create with you. We believe it is working. We believe that it is making a difference. This is the way business is done in this new global economy. Unless we have a partnership between the public and private sector, we are not going to be able to achieve our objectives. We believe in not only competing in the global economic arena but in winning in the global economic arena. That can only happen if your government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with you - to be strong and effective advocates for your interests, not for philosophical or ideological reasons but because we want to be relentlessly, programmatic in doing whatt is best for the American economy. Therefore, it behooves us to see economic growth in Jordan, in Gaza, in Israel - economic growth all over this region. Not only because it helps the people of this region improve their lives, but because it provides a great market for our goods, products, and services, allowing more exports to supply some of the capital goods for these major infrastructure projects. To show that we are more than just talk - that we are serious - we have produced what we call an opportunities book, which contains more than 100 opportunities here in this region that we want to share with you and that we hope you will pursue. We hope we can coordinate and communicate with you so that we are able to advocate your interests as you pursue those opportunities.