Remarks Georgia Trade Mission
September 19, 2005

Government officials, business leaders, and guests.

Welcome to the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, and welcome to our home. I am pleased to be hosting a reception this evening in honor of our visitors from the State of Georgia and City of Atlanta.

Georgia is one of El Salvador’s and indeed Central America’s most import trade partners. Last year, businesses in Georgia exported nearly $116 million in goods and services to El Salvador, more than 45 of the other 50 states in the Union.  Georgia’s economic relationship with El Salvador also includes significant investments; several Atlanta-based companies have major interests here.  I think it is also noteworthy that more than a few of El Salvador’s business and government leaders have attended university in Georgia.

I believe that the free trade agreement CAFTA-DR, which we expect to go into effect on January 1, 2006, will serve to strengthen the ties between the United States and El Salvador and between our two countries and the rest of the region.   I applaud El Salvador for leading the way on getting this agreement negotiated and ratified, and I also applaud Georgia government officials and business leaders for recognizing the potential this agreement represents and for organizing one of the first trade delegations to El Salvador since ratification.

But before you do so, I’d like to introduce the head of our delegation from Atlanta, Commissioner Craig Lesser