Remarks With Panamanian President Martin Torrijos
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Panama City, Panama
December 10, 2008
PRESIDENT TORRIJOS: (Via interpreter.) Madame Secretary of State, today has been a great day, a day where we have addressed bilateral
issues, issues related to free trade, which is important in order to create jobs, which in turn is also important in
order to create a better quality of life for our people. So thank you very much for your visit. I would also like to
take this opportunity to say farewell on this, your last visit to Panama. And thank you for the excellent work that we
have done together.
SECRETARY RICE: Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you very much for welcoming me here on what is, I believe, to be my last trip to
the region. We have had a very good bilateral relationship. You and President Bush have developed an excellent working
relationship and an excellent personal relationship.
Thank you for hosting the Pathways for Prosperity ministerial. It was a very successful opportunity to talk about how
trade and investment and open markets come together in democratic countries to produce results for the people: better
jobs, better health, better education, and indeed social justice.
And Mr. President, I want to thank you and congratulate you too on the great progress that Panama has made during your
presidency. We can see the extraordinary growth here in Panama City. We see the project that will expand the canal. And
I also want to congratulate you on the improvement in social indicators on poverty. I know that this is something that
was dear to your heart when you became President, and it is very good that you have delivered so much for the Panamanian
people. And again, Panama is an example of what can happen when trade and investment and policies for good governance
come together to bring social progress for the people.
And so thank you for having me here and I look forward to returning to Panama as a private citizen to enjoy this
beautiful country.
ENDS