Remarks by President Obama and President Park of South Korea in a Joint Press Conference

East Room

1:44 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Please have a seat.  
 
Let me begin by saying it is a great pleasure to welcome President Park and our friends from the Republic of Korea.  Madam President, we are greatly honored that you’ve chosen the United States as your first foreign visit.  This, of course, reflects the deep friendship between our peoples and the great alliance between our nations, which is marking another milestone.  I’m told that in Korea, a 60th birthday is a special celebration of life and longevity -- a hwangap.  (Laughter.)    Well, this year, we’re marking the 60th anniversary of the defense treaty between our nations. 
 
Yesterday, President Park visited Arlington National Cemetery and our memorial to our Korean War veterans.  Tonight, she’s hosting a dinner to pay tribute to the generation of American veterans who have served in the defense of South Korea. And tomorrow she’ll address a joint session of Congress -- an honor that is reserved for our closest of friends. 
 
And in this sense, this visit also reflects South Korea’s extraordinary progress over these six decades.  From the ashes of war, to one of the world’s largest economies; from a recipient of foreign aid to a donor that now helps other nations develop.  And of course, around the world, people are being swept up by Korean culture -- the Korean Wave.  And as I mentioned to President Park, my daughters have taught me a pretty good Gangnam Style.  (Laughter.) 
 
President Park, in your first months in office South Korea has faced threats and provocations that would test any nation.  Yet you’ve displayed calm and steady resolve that has defined your life.  Like people around the world, those of us in the United States have also been inspired by your example as the first female President of South Korea.  And today I’ve come to appreciate the leadership qualities for which you are known -- your focus and discipline and straight-forwardness.  And I very much thank you for the progress that we’ve already made together.
 
Today, we agreed to continue the implementation of our historic trade agreement, which is already yielding benefits for both our countries.  On our side, we’re selling more exports to Korea -- more manufactured goods, more services, more agricultural products.  Even as we have a long way to go, our automobile exports are up nearly 50 percent, and our Big Three -- Ford, Chrysler and GM -- are selling more cars in Korea.  And as President Park and I agreed to make sure that we continue to fully implement this agreement, we believe that it’s going to make both of our economies more competitive.  It will boost U.S. exports by some $10 billion and support tens of thousands of American jobs.  And obviously it will be creating jobs in Korea as they are able to continue to do extraordinary work in expanding their economy and moving it further and further up the value chain.
 
We agreed to continue the clean energy partnerships that help us to enhance our energy security and address climate change.  Given the importance of a peaceful nuclear energy industry to South Korea, we recently agreed to extend the existing civilian nuclear agreement between our two countries -- but we also emphasized in our discussions the need to continue to work diligently towards a new agreement.  As I told the President, I believe that we can find a way to support South Korea’s energy and commercial needs even as we uphold our mutual commitments to prevent nuclear proliferation.
   
We agreed to continuing modernizing our security alliance.  Guided by our joint vision, we’re investing in the shared capabilities and technologies and missile defenses that allow our forces to operate and succeed together.  We are on track for South Korea to assume operational control for the alliance in 2015.  And we’re determined to be fully prepared for any challenge or threat to our security.  And obviously that includes the threat from North Korea.
 
If Pyongyang thought its recent threats would drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States, or somehow garner the North international respect, today is further evidence that North Korea has failed again.  President Park and South Koreans have stood firm, with confidence and resolve.  The United States and the Republic of Korea are as united as ever.  And faced with new international sanctions, North Korea is more isolated than ever. In short, the days when North Korea could create a crisis and elicit concessions -- those days are over. 
 
Our two nations are prepared to engage with North Korea diplomatically and, over time, build trust.  But as always -- and as President Park has made clear -- the burden is on Pyongyang to take meaningful steps to abide by its commitments and obligations, particularly the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.  
 
And we discussed that Pyongyang should take notice of events in countries like Burma, which, as it reforms, is seeing more trade and investment and diplomatic ties with the world, including the United States and South Korea. 
 
For our part, we’ll continue to coordinate closely with South Korea and with Japan.  And I want to make clear the United States is fully prepared and capable of defending ourselves and our allies with the full range of capabilities available, including the deterrence provided by our conventional and nuclear forces.  As I said in Seoul last year, the commitment of the United States to the security of the Republic of Korea will never waver.
 
More broadly, we agreed to continue expanding our cooperation globally.  In Afghanistan -- where our troops serve together and where South Korea is a major donor of development assistance -- we’re on track to complete the transition to Afghan-led operations by the end of next year.  We discussed Syria, where both our nations are working to strengthen the opposition and plan for a Syria without Bashar Assad.  And I’m pleased that our two nations -- and our Peace Corps -- have agreed to expand our efforts to promote development around the world.
 
Finally, we’re expanding the already strong ties between our young people.  As an engineer by training, President Park knows the importance of education.  Madam President, you’ve said -- and I'm quoting you -- “We live in an age where a single individual can raise the value of an entire nation.”  I could not agree more.  So I’m pleased that we’re renewing exchange programs that bring our students together.  And as we pursue common-sense immigration reform here in the United States, we want to make it easier for foreign entrepreneurs and foreign graduate students from countries like Korea to stay and contribute to our country, just as so many Korean Americans already do.   
 
So, again, thank you, President Park, for making the United States your first foreign trip.  In your inaugural address you celebrated the “can do” spirit of the Korean people.  That is a spirit that we share.  And after our meeting today, I’m confident that if our two nations continue to stand together, there’s nothing we cannot do together. 
 
So, Madam President, welcome to the United States.
 
PRESIDENT PARK:  (As interpreted.)  Let me start by thanking President Obama for his invitation and his gracious hospitality.
 
During my meeting with the President today, I was able to have a heart-to-heart talk with him on a wide range of common interests.  I found that the two us of have a broad common view about the vision and roles that should guide the Korea-U.S. alliance as it moves forward, and I was delighted to see this.
 
First of all, the President and I shared the view that the Korea-U.S. alliance has been faithfully carrying out its role as a bulwark of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and that the alliance should continue to serve as a linchpin for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Asia.  In this regard, I believe it is significant that the joint declaration on the 60th anniversary of our alliance we adopted spells out the direction that our comprehensive strategic alliance should take. 
 
Next, the President and I reaffirmed that we will by no means tolerate North Korea’s threats and provocations, which have recently been escalating further, and that such actions would only deepen North Korea’s isolation.  The President and I noted that it is important that we continue to strengthen our deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and conventional weapons threat, and shared the view that in this respect, the transition of wartime operational control should also proceed in a way that strengthens our combined defense capabilities and preparations being made toward that way as well.
 
We also shared the view that realizing President Obama’s vision of a world without nuclear weapons should start on the Korean Peninsula and we stated that we would continue to strongly urge North Korea, in close concert with the other members of the Six-Party talks and the international community, to faithfully abide by its international obligations under the September 19th Joint Statement and the relevant Security Council resolutions.
 
Korea and the U.S. will work jointly to induce North Korea to make the right choice through multifaceted efforts, including the implementation of the Korean Peninsula trust-building process that I had spelled out.
 
I take this opportunity to once again send a clear message: North Korea will not be able to survive if it only clings to developing its nuclear weapons at the expense of its people’s happiness.  Concurrently pursuing nuclear arsenals and economic development can by no means succeed. 
 
This is the shared view of the view of the other members of the Six-Party talks and the international community.  However, should North Korea choose the path to becoming a responsible member of the community of nations, we are willing to provide assistance, together with the international community.
 
We also had meaningful discussions on the economy and ways to engage in substantive cooperation.  The President and I welcome the fact that the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect one year ago, is contributing to our shared prosperity.  We also said we will make efforts to enable our people to better feel the benefits of our free trade agreement for them. 
 
I highlighted the importance of securing high-skilled U.S. work visas for Korean citizens, and asked for executive branch support to the extent possible to see to it that the relevant legislation is passed in the U.S. Congress. 
 
Moreover, we arrived at the view that the Korea-U.S. Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement should be revised into an advanced and mutually beneficial successor agreement.  We said we would do our best to conclude our negotiations as soon as possible.
 
The President and I also had in-depth discussions on ways to enhance our global partnership.  First, we noted together that Northeast Asia needs to move beyond conflict and divisions and open a new era of peace and cooperation, and that there would be synergy between President's Obama's policy of rebalancing to Asia and my initiative for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia as we pursue peace and development in the region.  We shared the view about playing the role of co-architects to flesh out this vision.
 
Furthermore, we decided that the Korea-U.S. alliance should deal not just with challenges relating to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, but confronting the broader international community. 
 
I am very delighted that I was able to build personal trust with President Obama through our summit meeting today, and to have laid a framework for cooperation. 
 
Thank you.
 
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  All right, we've got a couple of questions from each side, so we'll start with Stephen Collinson of AFP. 
 
Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  Does the United States have a core national security interest in stopping the slaughter in Syria, or merely a strong moral desire to see the violence end?  And at what point does the cost of not intervening in a more direct way than you have done so far outweigh the cost of doing so? 
 
And if I may ask, President Park, President Obama's critics have warned that failing to act on perceived violations of U.S. red lines in Syria could embolden U.S. enemies elsewhere, including in North Korea.  Are you convinced that Kim Jong-un has taken the U.S. and South Korean warnings seriously, and do you see the withdrawal of two missiles from a test site as a sign that he's willing to deescalate the situation?
 
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, Stephen, I think that we have both a moral obligation and a national security interest in, A, ending the slaughter in Syria, but, B, also ensuring that we've got a stable Syria that is representative of all the Syrian people, and is not creating chaos for its neighbors.  And that’s why for the last two years we have been active in trying to ensure that Bashar Assad exits the stage, and that we can begin a political transition process. 
 
That’s the reason why we’ve invested so much in humanitarian aid.  That’s the reason why we are so invested in helping the opposition; why we've mobilized the international community to isolate Syria.  That’s why we are now providing nonlethal assistance to the opposition, and that’s why we're going to continue to do the work that we need to do. 
 
And in terms of the costs and the benefits, I think there would be severe costs in doing nothing.  That’s why we're not doing nothing.  That’s why we are actively invested in the process.  If what you're asking is, are there continuing reevaluations about what we do, what actions we take in conjunction with other international partners to optimize the day when -- or to hasten the day when we can see a better situation in Syria -- we've been doing that all along and we'll continue to do that.
 
I think that, understandably, there is a desire for easy answers.  That's not the situation there.  And my job is to constantly measure our very real and legitimate humanitarian and national security interests in Syria, but measuring those against my bottom line, which is what's in the best interest of America's security and making sure that I'm making decisions not based on a hope and a prayer, but on hard-headed analysis in terms of what will actually make us safer and stabilize the region.
 
I would note -- not to answer the question that you lobbed over to President Park -- that you suggested even in your question a perceived crossing of a red line.  The operative word there, I guess, Stephen, is “perceived.”  And what I've said is that we have evidence that there has been the use of chemical weapons inside of Syria, but I don't make decisions based on “perceived.”  And I can't organize international coalitions around “perceived.”  We've tried that in the past, by the way, and it didn't work out well.
 
So we want to make sure that we have the best analysis possible.  We want to make sure that we are acting deliberately. But I would just point out that there have been several instances during the course of my presidency where I said I was going to do something and it ended up getting done.  And there were times when there were folks on the sidelines wondering why hasn't it happened yet and what's going on and why didn't it go on tomorrow?  But in the end, whether it's bin Laden or Qaddafi, if we say we're taking a position, I would think at this point the international community has a pretty good sense that we typically follow through on our commitments. 
 
PRESIDENT PARK:  With regard to actions toward Syria, what kind of message would that communicate to North Korea? -- that was the question.  And recently North Korea seems to be deescalating its threats and provocations -- what seems to be behind that?  You asked these two questions.  In fact, North Korea is isolated at the moment, so it's hard to find anyone that could really accurately fathom the situation in North Korea.  Its actions are all so very unpredictable.  Hence, whether the Syrian situation would have an impact is hard to say for sure.
 
Why is North Korea appearing to deescalate its threats and provocations?  There's no knowing for sure.  But what is clear and what I believe for sure is that the international community with regard to North Korea's bad behavior, its provocations, must speak with one voice -- a firm message, and consistently send a firm message that they will not stand, and that North Korea's actions in breach of international norms will be met with so-and-so sanctions and measures by the international community.  At the same time, if it goes along the right way, there will be so-and-so rewards.  So if we consistently send that message to North Korea, I feel that North Korea will be left with no choice but to change. 
 
And instead of just hoping to see North Korea change, the international community must also consistently send that message with one voice to tell them and communicate to them that they have no choice but to change, and to shape an environment where they are left with no choice but to make the strategic decision to change.  And I think that's the effective and important way. 
 
Q    My question goes to President Park.  You just mentioned that North Korea -- in order to induce North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, what is most important is the concerted actions of the international community.  With regard to this, during your meeting with President Obama today, I would like to ask what was said and the views that you shared.  And with regard to this, what Russia and China -- the role that they're playing in terms of inducing North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, how do you feel about that?   
 
My next question is to President Obama.  Regarding the young leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, I would appreciate your views about the leader of North Korea.  And if you were to send a message to him today, what kind of message would you send to him? 
PRESIDENT PARK:  With regard to the North Korea issue, Korea and the United States, as well as the international community -- the ultimate objective that all of us should be adopting is for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and to induce it to become a responsible member of the international community.  This serves the interest of peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world, and it also serves the interest of North Korea's own development as well.  That is my view.
 
And so, in order to encourage North Korea to walk that path and change its perceptions, we have to work in concert.  And in this regard, China's role, China's influence can be extensive, so China taking part in these endeavors is important.  And we shared views on that. 
 
With regard to China and Russia’s stance, I believe that China and Russia -- not to mention the international community, of course -- share the need for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula and are cooperating closely to induce North Korea to take the right path.  In the case of China, with regard to North Korea’s missile fire and nuclear testing, China has taken an active part in adopting U.N. Security Council resolutions and is faithfully implementing those resolutions. 
 
And with regard to Russia, Russia is also firmly committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.  And with regard to the adoption of U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea, it has been very active in supporting them.  And they’ve also worked very hard to include a stern message to North Korea in the joint statement of the G8 Foreign Ministers meeting.  Such constructive efforts on the part of China and Russia are vital to sending a unified message to North Korea that their nuclear weapons will not stand, and encouraging and urging North Korea to make the right decision.
 
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Obviously, I don’t know Kim Jong-un personally.  I haven’t had a conversation with him, can’t really give you an opinion about his personal characteristics.  What we do know is the actions that he’s taken have been provocative and seem to pursue a dead end. 
 
And I want to emphasize, President Park and myself very much share the view that we are going to maintain a strong deterrent capability; that we’re not going to reward provocative behavior. But we remain open to the prospect of North Korea taking a peaceful path of denuclearization, abiding by international commitments, rejoining the international community, and seeing a gradual progression in which both security and prosperity for the people of North Korea can be achieved.
 
If what North Korea has been doing has not resulted in a strong, prosperous nation, then now is a good time for
Kim Jong-un to evaluate that history and take a different path.  And I think that, should he choose to take a different path, not only President Park and myself would welcome it, but the international community as a whole would welcome it. 
 
And I think that China and Russia and Japan and other key players that have been participants in Six-Party talks have made that clear.  But there’s going to have to be changes in behavior. We have an expression in English:  Don’t worry about what I say; watch what I do.  And so far at least, we haven’t seen actions on the part of the North Koreans that would indicate they’re prepared to move in a different direction.
 
Christi Parsons.
 
Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  The Pentagon said today that there may be as many as 70 sexual assaults a day in the military -- up by 35 percent during your term in office -- and also that many sexual assaults may not be reported, in fact.  Given what we know about an Air Force officer in charge of preventing sexual assault recently being charged with sexual assault, and also the recent cases of a couple of Air Force generals who’ve set aside convictions of instances of sexual assault, can you speak to the culture in the U.S. military that may be at play here and talk about your response to that and what you can do going forward to improve things? 
 
And if I may, President Park, I would ask you -- yesterday you said that if North Korea does not change its behavior, we will make them pay.  I wondered if you could elaborate on that comment a little bit.  Thank you.
 
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, let’s start with the principle that sexual assault is an outrage; it is a crime.  That’s true for society at large.  And if it’s happening inside our military, then whoever carries it out is betraying the uniform that they’re wearing.  And they may consider themselves patriots, but when you engage in this kind of behavior that’s not patriotic -- it’s a crime.  And we have to do everything we can to root this out. 
 
Now, this is not a new phenomenon.  One of the things that we’ve been trying to do is create a structure in which we’re starting to get accurate reporting.  And up and down the chain, we are seeing a process, a system of accountability and transparency so that we can root this out completely. 
 
And this is a discussion that I had with Secretary Panetta. He had begun the process of moving this forward.  But I have directly spoken to Secretary Hagel already today and indicating to him that we're going to have to not just step up our game, we have to exponentially step up our game, to go at this thing hard.
 
And for those who are in uniform who have experienced sexual assault, I want them to hear directly from their Commander-In-Chief that I've got their backs.  I will support them.  And we're not going to tolerate this stuff and there will be accountability.  If people have engaged in this behavior, they should be prosecuted. 
 
And anybody in the military who has knowledge of this stuff should understand this is not who we are.  This is not what the U.S. military is about.  And it dishonors the vast majority of men and women in uniform who carry out their responsibilities and obligations with honor and dignity and incredible courage every single day.
 
So bottom line is I have no tolerance for this.  I have communicated this to the Secretary of Defense.  We're going to communicate this again to folks up and down the chain in areas of authority, and I expect consequences.
 
So I don’t want just more speeches or awareness programs or training but, ultimately, folks look the other way.  If we find out somebody is engaging in this stuff, they've got to be held accountable -- prosecuted, stripped of their positions, court-martialed, fired, dishonorably discharged.  Period.  It's not acceptable. 
 
PRESIDENT PARK:  Regarding North Korea's provocations and bad behavior, we will make them pay -- with regard to that, for instance, what I meant was that if they engage in military provocations and harm the lives of our people and the safety of our people, then naturally, as a President who gives the top priority to ensuring the safety of our people, it is something that we can't just pass over. 
 
So if North Korea engages in provocations, I will fully trust the judgment of our military.  So if our military makes a judgment which they feel is the right thing, then they should act accordingly.  And this is the instruction that I had made. 
 
And North Korea has to pay a price when it comes not only with regard to provocations, but also with regard to the recent Kaesong industrial complex issue, where, based on agreements between the two sides, companies had believed in the agreement that was made and actually went to invest in the Kaesong industrial complex, but they suddenly completely dismissed and disregarded this agreement overnight, and denied various medical supplies and food supplies to Korean citizens left in that industrial complex, refusing to accept our request to allow in those supplies, which is what prompted us to withdraw all of our citizens from that park.  This situation unfolded in the full view of the international community.
 
So who would invest, not to mention Korean companies, but also companies of other countries, who would invest in North Korea in a place that shows such flagrant disregard for agreements, and how could they, under those circumstances, actually pull off economic achievement?  So I think in this regard, they're actually paying the price for their own misdeeds.
 
Q    My question goes to President Obama.  President Park has been talking about the Korean Peninsula trust-building process as a way to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.  I wonder what you feel about this trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula?
 
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, as I indicated before, President Park's approach is very compatible with my approach and the approach that we have been taking together for several years now. And I understand it, the key is that we will be prepared for a deterrence; that we will respond to aggression; that we will not reward provocative actions; but that we will maintain an openness to an engagement process when we see North Korea taking steps that would indicate that it is following a different path.  And that’s exactly the right approach. 
 
All of us would benefit from a North Korea that transformed itself.  Certainly, the people of North Korea would benefit.  South Korea would be even stronger in a less tense environment on the peninsula.  All the surrounding neighbors would welcome such a transition, such a transformation.  But I don’t think either President Park or I are naïve about the difficulties of that taking place.  And we've got to see action before we can have confidence that that, in fact, is the path that North Korea intends to take.
 
But the one thing I want to emphasize, just based on the excellent meetings and consultation that we had today, as well as watching President Park over the last several months dealing with the provocative escalations that have been taking place in North Korea, what I'm very confident about is President Park is tough. I think she has a very clear, realistic view of the situation, but she also has the wisdom to believe that conflict is not inevitable and is not preferable.  And that's true on the Korean Peninsula.  That's true around the world. 
 
And we very much appreciate her visit and look forward to excellent cooperation not only on this issue, but on the more positive issues of economic and commercial ties between our two countries, educational exchanges, work on energy, climate change, helping other countries develop.  
 
I've had a wonderful time every time I've visited the Republic of Korea.  And what is clear is that the Republic of Korea is one of the great success stories of our lifetime.  And the Republic of Korea's leadership around the globe will be increasingly important.  And what underpins that in part has been the extraordinary history of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.  And we want to make sure that that remains a strong foundation for progress in the future.
 
So, thank you so much, Madam President.  (Applause.)

END 
2:20 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at The Ohio State University Commencement

Ohio Stadium
Columbus, Ohio

1:00 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Hello, Buckeyes!  O-H! 

AUDIENCE:  I-O!

THE PRESIDENT:  O-H!

AUDIENCE:  I-O!

THE PRESIDENT:  O-H!

AUDIENCE:  I-O!  

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you so much.  Everybody, please be seated.  Thank you, Dr. Gee, for the wonderful introduction.  I suspect the good President may have edited out some other words that were used to describe me.  (Laughter.)  I appreciate that.  But I'm going to let Michelle know of all the good comments.

To the Board of Trustees; Congresswoman Beatty; Mayor Coleman; and all of you who make up The Ohio State University for allowing me to join you -- it is an incredible honor.   

And most of all, congratulations, Class of 2013!  (Applause.)  And of course, congratulations to all the parents, and family, and friends and faculty here in the Horseshoe -- this is your day as well.  (Applause.)  I've been told to ask everybody, though, please be careful with the turf.  Coach Meyer has big plans for this fall.  (Laughter.) 

I very much appreciate the President’s introduction.  I will not be singing today.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE:  Aww -- (laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  It is true that I did speak at that certain university up north a few years ago.  But, to be fair, you did let President Ford speak here once -- and he played football for Michigan!  (Laughter.)  So everybody can get some redemption. 

In my defense, this is my fifth visit to campus in the past year or so.  (Applause.)  One time, I stopped at Sloppy’s to grab some lunch.  Many of you -- Sloopy’s -- I know.  (Laughter.)  It’s Sunday and I'm coming off a foreign trip.  (Laughter.)  Anyway, so I'm at Sloopy’s and many of you were still eating breakfast.  At 11:30 a.m.  (Laughter.)  On a Tuesday.  (Laughter.)  So, to the Class of 2013, I will offer my first piece of advice:  Enjoy it while you can.  (Laughter.)  Soon, you will not get to wake up and have breakfast at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.  (Laughter.)  And once you have children, it gets even earlier.  (Laughter.) 

But, Class of 2013, your path to this moment has wound you through years of breathtaking change.  You were born as freedom forced its way through a wall in Berlin, tore down an Iron Curtain across Europe.  You were educated in an era of instant information that put the world’s accumulated knowledge at your fingertips.  And you came of age as terror touched our shores; and an historic recession spread across the nation; and a new generation signed up to go to war. 

So you’ve been tested and you’ve been tempered by events that your parents and I never imagined we’d see when we sat where you sit.  And yet, despite all this, or perhaps because of it, yours has become a generation possessed with that most American of ideas -- that people who love their country can change it for the better.  For all the turmoil, for all the times you’ve been let down, or frustrated at the hand that you’ve been dealt, what I have seen -- what we have witnessed from your generation -- is that perennial, quintessentially American value of optimism; altruism; empathy; tolerance; a sense of community; a sense of service -- all of which makes me optimistic for our future.

Consider that today, 50 ROTC cadets in your graduating class will become commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.  (Applause.)  A hundred and thirty of your fellow graduates have already served -- some in combat, some on multiple deployments.  (Applause.)  Of the 98 veterans earning bachelor’s degrees today, 20 are graduating with honors, and at least one kept serving his fellow veterans when he came home by starting up a campus organization called Vets4Vets.  And as your Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of all of you.  (Applause.)

Consider that graduates of this university serve their country through the Peace Corps, and educate our children through established programs like Teach for America, startups like Blue Engine, often earning little pay for making the biggest impact.  Some of you have already launched startup companies of your own. And I suspect that those of you who pursue more education, or climb the corporate ladder, or enter the arts or science or journalism, you will still choose a cause that you care about in your life and will fight like heck to realize your vision. 

There is a word for this.  It’s citizenship.  And we don’t always talk about this idea much these days -- citizenship -- let alone celebrate it.  Sometimes, we see it as a virtue from another time, a distant past, one that’s slipping from a society that celebrates individual ambition above all else; a society awash in instant technology that empowers us to leverage our skills and talents like never before, but just as easily allows us to retreat from the world.  And the result is that we sometimes forget the larger bonds we share as one American family.

But it’s out there, all the time, every day -- especially when we need it most.  Just look at the past year.  When a hurricane struck our mightiest city, and a factory exploded in a small town in Texas, we saw citizenship.  When bombs went off in Boston, and when a malevolent spree of gunfire visited a movie theater, a temple, an Ohio high school, a 1st grade classroom in Connecticut, we saw citizenship.  In the aftermath of darkest tragedy, we have seen the American spirit at its brightest. 

We’ve seen the petty divisions of color and class and creed replaced by a united urge to help each other.  We’ve seen courage and compassion, a sense of civic duty, and a recognition we are not a collection of strangers; we are bound to one another by a set of ideals and laws and commitments, and a deep devotion to this country that we love. 

And that's what citizenship is.  It’s at the heart of our founding -- that as Americans, we are blessed with God-given talents and inalienable rights, but with those rights come responsibilities -- to ourselves, and to one another, and to future generations.  (Applause.)

Now, if we’re being honest with ourselves, as you’ve studied and worked and served to become good citizens, the fact is that all too often the institutions that give structure to our society have, at times, betrayed your trust.  In the run-up to the financial crisis, too many on Wall Street forgot that their obligations don’t end with what’s happening with their shares. In entertainment and in the media, ratings and shock value often trump news and storytelling. 

In Washington -- well, this is a joyous occasion, so let me put it charitably -- (laughter) -- I think it’s fair to say our democracy isn’t working as well as we know it can.  It could do better.  (Applause.)  And so those of us fortunate enough to serve in these institutions owe it to you to do better every single day.

And I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we can keep this idea of citizenship in its fullest sense alive at the national level -- not just on Election Day, not just in times of tragedy, but all the days in between.  And perhaps because I spend a lot of time in Washington, I’m obsessed with this issue because that sense of citizenship is so sorely needed there.  And I think of what your generation’s traits -- compassion and energy, and a sense of selflessness -- might mean for a democracy that must adapt more quickly to keep up with the speed of technological and demographic, and wrenching economic change.

I think about how we might perpetuate this notion of citizenship in a way that another politician from my home state of Illinois, Adlai Stevenson, once described patriotism not as “short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”  That’s what patriotism is.  That’s what citizenship is.  (Applause.)

Now, I don’t pretend to have all the answers.  I’m not going to offer some grand theory on a beautiful day like this -- you guys all have celebrating to do.  I’m not going to get partisan, either, because that’s not what citizenship is about.  In fact, I’m asking the same thing of you that President Bush did when he spoke at this commencement in 2002:  “America needs more than taxpayers, spectators, and occasional voters,” he said. “America needs full-time citizens.”  (Applause.)  And as graduates from a university whose motto is “Education for Citizenship,” I know all of you get that this is what you’ve signed up for.  It’s what your country expects of you. 

So briefly, I’ll ask for two things from the Class of 2013: to participate, and to persevere.  After all, your democracy does not function without your active participation.  At a bare minimum, that means voting, eagerly and often -- not having somebody drag you to it at 11:30 a.m. when you’re having breakfast.  (Laughter.)  It means knowing who’s been elected to make decisions on your behalf, and what they believe in, and whether or not they delivered on what they said they would.  And if they don’t represent you the way you want, or conduct themselves the way you expect, if they put special interests above your own, you’ve got to let them know that’s not okay.  And if they let you down often enough, there’s a built-in day in November where you can really let them know it’s not okay.  (Applause.)

But participation, your civic duty, is more than just voting.  You don’t have to run for office yourself -- but I hope many of you do, at all levels, because our democracy needs you.  And I promise you, it will give you a tough skin.  I know a little bit about this.  (Laughter.)  President Wilson once said, “If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”

And that’s precisely what the Founders left us -- the power, each of us, to adapt to changing times.  They left us the keys to a system of self-government, the tools to do big things and important things together that we could not possibly do alone -- to stretch railroads and electricity and a highway system across a sprawling continent.  To educate our people with a system of public schools and land-grant colleges, including The Ohio State University.  To care for the sick and the vulnerable, and provide a basic level of protection from falling into abject poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  To conquer fascism and disease; to visit the Moon and Mars; to gradually secure our God-given rights for all of our citizens, regardless of who they are, or what they look like, or who they love.  (Applause.)  

We, the people, chose to do these things together -- because we know this country cannot accomplish great things if we pursue nothing greater than our own individual ambition. 

Unfortunately, you’ve grown up hearing voices that incessantly warn of government as nothing more than some separate, sinister entity that’s at the root of all our problems; some of these same voices also doing their best to gum up the works.  They’ll warn that tyranny is always lurking just around the corner.  You should reject these voices.  Because what they suggest is that our brave and creative and unique experiment in self-rule is somehow just a sham with which we can’t be trusted.

We have never been a people who place all of our faith in government to solve our problems; we shouldn’t want to.  But we don’t think the government is the source of all our problems, either.  Because we understand that this democracy is ours.  And as citizens, we understand that it’s not about what America can do for us; it’s about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but absolutely necessary work of self-government.  (Applause.)  And, Class of 2013, you have to be involved in that process.  (Applause.)  

The founders trusted us with this awesome authority.  We should trust ourselves with it, too.  Because when we don’t, when we turn away and get discouraged and cynical, and abdicate that authority, we grant our silent consent to someone who will gladly claim it.  That’s how we end up with lobbyists who set the agenda; and policies detached from what middle-class families face every day; the well-connected who publicly demand that Washington stay out of their business -- and then whisper in government’s ear for special treatment that you don’t get. 

That’s how a small minority of lawmakers get cover to defeat something the vast majority of their constituents want.  That’s how our political system gets consumed by small things when we are a people called to do great things -- like rebuild a middle class, and reverse the rise of inequality, and repair the deteriorating climate that threatens everything we plan to leave for our kids and our grandkids.

Class of 2013, only you can ultimately break that cycle.  Only you can make sure the democracy you inherit is as good as we know it can be.  But it requires your dedicated, and informed, and engaged citizenship.  And that citizenship is a harder, higher road to take, but it leads to a better place.  It’s how we built this country -- together. 

It’s the question that President Kennedy posed to the nation at his inauguration.  It’s the dream that Dr. King invoked.  It does not promise easy success or immediate progress -- but it has led to success, and it has led to progress.  And it has to continue with you. 

Which brings me to the second thing I ask of all of you -- I ask that you persevere.  Whether you start a business, or run for office, or devote yourself to alleviating poverty or hunger, please remember that nothing worth doing happens overnight.  A British inventor named Dyson went through more than 5,000 prototypes before getting that first really fancy vacuum cleaner just right.  We remember Michael Jordan’s six championships; we don't remember his nearly 15,000 missed shots.  As for me, I lost my first race for Congress, and look at me now -- I’m an honorary graduate of The Ohio State University.  (Applause.)

The point is, if you are living your life to the fullest, you will fail, you will stumble, you will screw up, you will fall down.  But it will make you stronger, and you’ll get it right the next time, or the time after that, or the time after that.  And that is not only true for your personal pursuits, but it’s also true for the broader causes that you believe in as well. 

So you can't give up your passion if things don't work right away.  You can't lose heart, or grow cynical if there are twists and turns on your journey.  The cynics may be the loudest voices -- but I promise you, they will accomplish the least.  It’s those folks who stay at it, those who do the long, hard, committed work of change that gradually push this country in the right direction, and make the most lasting difference.

So whenever you feel that creeping cynicism, whenever you hear those voices saying you can’t do it, you can't make a difference, whenever somebody tells you to set your sights lower -- the trajectory of this great nation should give you hope.  What generations have done before you should give you hope.  Because it was young people just like you who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in to secure women’s rights, and voting rights, and workers’ rights, and gay rights -- often at incredible odds, often at great danger, often over the course of years, sometimes over the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime -- and they never got acknowledged for it, but they made a difference.  (Applause.)  

And even if their rights were already secured, there were those who fought to secure those same rights and opportunities for others.  And that should give you some hope. 

Where we’re going should give you hope.  Because while things are still hard for a lot of people, you have every reason to believe that your future is bright.  You’re graduating into an economy and a job market that is steadily healing.  The once-dying American auto industry is on pace for its strongest performance in 20 years -- something that means everything to many communities in Ohio and across the Midwest.  Huge strides in domestic energy, driven in part by research at universities like this one, have us on track to secure our own energy future.  Incredible advances in information and technology spurred largely by the risk-takers of your generation have the potential to change the way we do almost everything.

There is not another country on Earth that would not gladly change places with the United States of America.  And that will be true for your generation just as it was true for previous generations. 

So you’ve got a lot to look forward to, but if there’s one certainty about the decade ahead, it’s that things will be uncertain.  Change will be a constant, just as it has been throughout our history.  And, yes, we still face many important challenges.  Some will require technological breakthroughs or new policy insights.  But more than anything, what we will need is political will -- to harness the ingenuity of your generation, and encourage and inspire the hard work of dedicated citizens.  To repair the middle class, to give more families a fair shake, to reject a country in which only a lucky few prosper because that’s antithetical to our ideals and our democracy -- all of this is going to happen if you are involved, because it takes dogged determination -- the dogged determination of our citizens.

To educate more children at a younger age, and to reform our high schools for a new time, and to give more young people the chance to earn the kind of education that you did at The Ohio State University, and to make it more affordable so young people don’t leave with a mountain of debt -- that will take the care and concern of citizens like you.  (Applause.)

To build better roads and airports and faster Internet, and to advance the kinds of basic research and technology that’s always kept America ahead of everybody else -- that will take the grit and fortitude of citizens.

To confront the threat of climate change before it’s too late -- that requires the idealism and the initiative of citizens.

To protect more of our kids from the horrors of gun violence -- that requires the unwavering passion, the untiring resolve of citizens.  (Applause.)  It will require you.

Fifty years ago, President Kennedy told the class of 1963 that “our problems are manmade -- therefore, they can be solved by man.  And man can be as big as he wants.”  We’re blessed to live in the greatest nation on Earth.  But we can always be greater.  We can always aspire to something more.  That doesn’t depend on who you elect to office.  It depends on you, as citizens, how big you want us to be, how badly you want to see these changes for the better.

And look at all that America has already accomplished.  Look at how big we’ve been.  I dare you, Class of 2013, to do better. I dare you to dream bigger.

And from what I’ve seen of your generation, I'm confident that you will.  And so I wish you courage, and compassion, and all the strength that you will need for that tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. 

Thank you.  God bless you, and God bless these United States of America.  (Applause.)

END  
1:26 P.M. EDT

Remarks by President Obama at Meeting with Business Leaders

Old Customs House, San Jose, Costa Rica

10:58 A.M. CST

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, thank you so much, Mr. Condo.  And once again, I want to thank President Chinchilla and all the people of Costa Rica for their incredible hospitality.  I've already been scouting out where I'm going to stay when I come back here for vacation.  (Laughter.)  But, unfortunately, I'm going to have to leave after this forum.

     But Arturo and I were discussing backstage the fact that INCAE, which has such a wonderful reputation throughout the region -- I know we have two former alumni who now are Presidents of Panama and Guatemala, respectively -- that the origination of this idea was when President Kennedy visited 50 years ago and I think recognized at that time the enormous potential for the private sector as a critical ingredient in progress and development for the hemisphere as a whole; that when you combine good government with a thriving free market, then that was an extraordinary recipe for opportunity for all people.

     And for me to be able to visit 50 years later and to see how much progress has been made both in the region and in the ties between the United States and Central America I think indicates that President Kennedy’s vision was sound, and it also speaks to I think the importance of us continuing to build these kinds of networks and relationships for the future.

     I've been interviewed several times during the course of my travels both in Mexico and Central America, and I've emphasized that although I understand why there’s been a great focus over the last several years on security issues -- security is important.  It’s very hard to create a strong economy when people are personally feeling insecure.  There’s been a lot of emphasis on immigration, and I understand why that is.  Obviously it’s of great importance to this region and to the United States.  We shouldn’t lose sight of the critical importance of trade and commerce and business to the prospects both for Costa Rica, the United States, and the entire hemisphere.

     The United States considers our trading relationships with CAFTA countries, with Mexico, to be of enormous importance.  When you look at the scale of business that's being done currently, it’s creating jobs in the United States, it’s creating jobs here. And what we want to do is to find ways that we can continue to enhance that relationship, how we can get ideas from this region and find ways in which we can improve and foster small business development, medium-sized business development, make this entire region more competitive. 

Because, as I said to the leaders of SICA yesterday, we now live in a very competitive 21st century world and if we do not have effective integration in our hemisphere, if we don't have the best education systems, the best regulatory systems, if we don't coordinate our activities, then we're going to fall behind other regions of the world.  And given the talents that I've seen on display and that are evident here, I'm confident that we can compete as long as we're cooperating effectively. 

     So, again, I want to thank President Chinchilla for the great hospitality.  I want to congratulate INCAE for its wonderful history.  And I look forward to taking a few questions and maybe I'll hear some ideas in this meeting.

     MR. CONDO:  Absolutely.  Thanks a lot for your words. 

                             * * * *      

     Q    (Inaudible.) 

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, there’s no doubt that we’ve made progress.  More progress needs to be made in improving border security and facilitating speed and efficiency when it comes to trade and commerce.

And those two things go hand in hand.  Both in the United States and on the other side of the border in Mexico, as well as our northern border with Canada, a lot of the press focus is on security and immigration.  But one of the arguments that we’ve made in pursuit of comprehensive immigration reform is that you can't separate out the dangers or challenges or concerns of a border from the enormous opportunities that a well-managed, well-regulated border represents.

And so my administration’s focus has been, number one, let’s make sure that we’ve got a sound system of immigration, customs and a regulatory environment, in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, that as much as possible eases the flow of goods and people and services that are legitimate.

So, for example, in the North America Leadership Summit that I have with the Mexican President and the Canadian President, a lot of our work centers around how can we continue to find ways to synchronize existing regulations so that we can speed up the movement of goods and services.  Are there ways in which there are regular, frequent trading practices that are going on between the countries where we essentially are able to put them on a fast lane, as opposed to the more typical travel for tourists or sporadic visitors?  And so that regulatory coordination I think is number one. 

     Number two is infrastructure.  The fact of the matter is, is that we have massive borders both to the south and to the north, and in order for us to make sure that we’re facilitating trade and commerce, we’ve got to have the best infrastructure, the best portals through which people can go in a efficient, effective and systematic way that still allows for us to preserve our security and screen out those problematic elements that might cross our borders.

     And one of the things that I’ve been talking to President Piña Nieto about on our southern border is are there ways that we can do more joint infrastructure investment at a time when all countries -- not just the United States and Mexico, but I’m sure Costa Rica and Guatemala and Panama -- we’re always trying to find money somewhere.  And when it comes to the border, they’re shared.  Are there ways in which we can share some of the costs for continual infrastructure upgrades? 

     But the bottom line is it’s both the hardware, the infrastructure, but also the software, the regulation that's going to make sure that you’ve got an effective border system. 

     Comprehensive immigration reform -- that I’m hopeful we can pass this year, after 30 years -- can make an enormous difference in improving what is already a system that's better than it was.

     But I want to echo what Arturo said about the Central American countries -- and this is not unique, by the way, to Central America.  You see this in other parts of the world like in Africa, for example.  Sometimes it’s easier to transport goods from parts of Central America to the United States than it is from one Central American country to another.  The same is true in parts of Africa where it’s easier to ship something to Europe than it is to the country right next door. 

     And to think about working with the Inter-American Development Bank, with the United States, with other partners, how do we build the kind of connectivity and emphasize internal integration and trade and markets -- that's going to strengthen you.  That will put you in a more effective position to compete in world markets, and it will allow you, then, to interface with Mexico and the United States and Colombia, and other parts of the hemisphere -- because what I said to the SICA leaders yesterday was the more integrated we are, the more effective we’re going to compete internationally. 

     But that's going to require some investment.  I just want to emphasize it’s not just building the road or the bridge or the port.  It’s also having the regulatory structures that make those work.

     Q    Good morning.  I am a Central American from Costa Rica and I am also an MBA student from INCAE.  My question is in relation with early childhood support.  There is strong consensus in Central America that has been validated by the IDD and INCAE that early childhood support is one of the best investments our countries can make.  Yet we are still struggling, trying to provide primary and secondary education coverage to the entire population, and even this is pushing the boundaries of our budgets.  So my question is how can -- or how should countries invest in this without sacrificing gains in other areas?  Thank you.

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, I’ll just say very briefly that all the science shows that effective, high-quality early childhood education pays more dividends than almost anything else you can do, educationally.  Because if children get a good start, if they're read to, and their vocabulary is expanding, and they’re taught their numbers and their colors and all the basic building blocks, then they're much more likely to succeed.  And that's true in the United States; that's true here in Central America. 

So the way we think about early childhood education is not just as an add-on to our overall education policy.  What we’re trying to argue in my administration is this is part of our entire education strategy.  It starts when the child is born,  and increasingly, in this knowledge-based economy, it’s going to continue even after people have graduated from college, they’re going to have to continue learning. 

     You’re right that paying for it is difficult and quality control is difficult.  Good-quality early childhood education is not just baby-sitting.  It’s having trained professionals who know how to stimulate very young children to give them the preparation that they need, which means setting up training programs and making sure they’re adequately paid.

     And in terms of financing, in my State of the Union -- because the United States, by the way, we don't have the kind of early childhood education system that I think we should have.  And when you compare what we do to some of the more advanced countries in the OECD, we're not where I want us to be.  So what I did in the State of the Union was propose that we impose an additional federal tax on cigarettes in order to pay for an expansion for high-quality, universal early childhood education. You get the real benefit of reducing smoking, which saves on our health care costs, at the same time as we're able to improve early childhood education. 

     Now, whether we're going to be able to get that passed or not, I don't know.  It’s always a struggle to get new revenue for worthy endeavors, but there’s no bigger bang for the buck that you can get than making this investment in early childhood education.  So I'm going to keep on arguing for it forcefully.

                           * * * *       

Q    Central America has significant renewable energy resources.  Our economies are vast, but the volatility of oil energy prices, because our renewables take longer to put online, also delays and local oppositions are taking us in a state that we're using more fossil fuel -- taking us farther from our original goal of a more sustainable energy mix. 

And on top of that we have earthquakes and frequent severe weather that makes our electrical system vulnerable.  Saying that, how can we accelerate investment in more sustainable energy?  And what are the opportunities and possible role of the U.S. and U.S. companies to work with Central America and to advance in a more sustainable energy mix that the region needs, and to reduce the volatility of our electrical system?  Thank you.

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I have to say that all of the SICA leaders that I met with yesterday emphasized this issue of energy.  President Pérez, President Martinelli, and President Chinchilla all focused on the fact that electricity costs here in Central America may cost three times as much as they do in Washington, D.C., and that's a huge structural disadvantage for businesses and families in the region.  So this is something you're going to have to fix. 

Now, the good news is that you’ve already made enormous progress in renewable energies in ways that, in fact, are well in advance of what other parts of the world are doing.  The fact that Costa Rica is already getting 90 percent of your energy from renewable sources is a great achievement, and it means that you’ve got technology and expertise and a tradition of renewable energy in the region that you need to build on.

     And what the United States can do, I think the most helpful thing we can do is work with you -- because we have a common goal of creating more renewable energy sources -- let’s collaborate on research, technology.  Let’s network companies that are advancing new renewable energy strategies and see if we can have more joint ventures and projects.  Because it’s my view that if any of us find good answers to renewable energy, that will spread like wildfire and everybody will ultimately benefit.  It almost doesn’t matter where the innovations occur because they’ll be readily transferable around the world.

     What I also understand is, is that we're not going to immediately be able to transition off of traditional sources of energy -- fossil fuels like oil and gas -- and even Costa Rica, it’s getting a lot of renewable energy, but it’s still got to make up that difference, and that's going to be a transition for all countries over the next 20, 30 years. 

And it’s true that because of the extraordinary advances in technology that we've made in the United States, we are likely to be a net natural gas exporter as soon as 2020.  And so one of the things that I've discussed with your Presidents is how can we potentially use that as a bridging mechanism.  I've got to make a decision -- an executive decision broadly about whether or not we export liquefied natural gas at all.  But I can assure you that once I make that decision, then factoring in how we can use that to facilitate lower costs in the hemisphere and in Central America will be on my agenda.

The last point, which Arturo mentioned but I can't emphasize enough, whether you're talking about traditional energy sources, renewable energy, setting up structures and regulatory regimes for creating economies of scale and efficiencies are critical.

     I was mentioning that in California, the utilities, when they produce energy during non-peak hours, they ship it across the border down to Mexico.  When they have peak hours, they bring that energy back to California.  And because of not only the technology but also the laws that are in place, that saves consumers money on both sides of the border. 

And given the small size of many Central American countries, it’s critical to create a regional market.  And that's not just transmission lines.  It’s also having the rules in place that allow the free flow of energy back and forth.

     People get nervous about that because they're worried, well, Panama is going to steal my electricity, and then Costa Rica, I don't know, maybe they're going to poach some of our power.  But the truth of the matter is, is that everybody stands to benefit.

And we’ll work with the Inter-American Development Bank -- we put forward I think it was last year, maybe it was the year before, when we initiated Connect 2022 -- and so our goal is to use whatever competing power we have to network with the private sector, as well as the public sector to find ways to enhance that integration.  If you can solve this problem, it will free up resources for early childhood education, it will put money in the pockets of consumers, and the economic benefits will be extraordinary. 

So we look forward to partnering with you on that issue.

                         * * * *

     Q    You mentioned, President Obama, that it’s hard for everyone to gather the fiscal resources to invest in these integrated, very valuable -- socially valuable programs.  How do you go about, in your experience, creating such social demand or social support for missions like that that require greater resources and the need for greater resources?

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, first of all, at least in the United States, and I'm almost certain -- I haven't looked at the polling, but I'm sure it’s true in Central America -- selling people on the importance of education is not difficult.  People understand, even those who don't have an education understand, that in this economy, if we don't have a highly skilled, highly trained workforce, then we’ll lose.  And I think every parent has aspirations for their children to do even better than they did.  And the only way that's going to happen is, is if they’re getting an excellent education.

     So I think generally, the issue is not going to be, will there be social demand.  I think, number one, it’s making sure that education reforms are in place so that we are using the money that we have as effectively as possible.

     In the United States, what we found is, is that sometimes money in schools are not well spent.  And our schools -- we've had public schools for a very long time, but many of them were designed back in the 1800s in a largely agricultural society; now the needs are different and we've got to adapt.  We also have new tools, like the use of technology and distance learning that can reduce costs and improve outcomes.

     We have to spend a lot of time focusing on teacher quality and training teachers so that they’re up to speed on the best practices to improve learning.

     But I think it is actually easy to get public support around education.  What’s harder is to, A, make sure that the money is well spent; and B, recognize that, as is true for businesses, it’s also true for governments, you have to prioritize, and you have to decide, all right, if we're going to spend more money on early education, then we're going to have to either increase revenue through taxation, or we're going to have to stop doing some other things that are less important.  And that's part of what democracy is about, is having that debate.

     But one last point I want to make about education.  A lot of studies have shown that the single best indicator of a country’s development and advancement is how does it treat its girls.  If you are not educating half the population, if you're not using all the opportunities -- or providing opportunities for all the girls in your country, you will fall behind.  And it’s been said before, the advantage of when you're giving a good education to girls is you're also going to be educating the children of the moms. 

And so making sure that social equity and gender equity is built into our education agenda -- especially around things like math and science and engineering, where traditionally a lot of times young girls are discouraged because it’s viewed somehow as not their subjects -- that's something that we're spending a lot of time on.  And we’d be happy to collaborate with SICA and other organizations to find ways that we can make sure that we're encouraging young women are getting the exact same opportunities as young men are getting.  (Applause.)

                          * * * *

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, again, I just want to thank this wonderful institution and the people of Costa Rica, as well as President Chinchilla, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to interact with outstanding business leaders and civil society leaders.

     The main message that I have is that the United States recognizes our fates are tied up with your success.  We want to be a partner.  I’ve said this before and I will repeat, we don't think there are senior partners or junior partners in that partnership.  I think it’s a partnership based on equality and mutual respect and mutual interest.  If you are doing well, we will do better.  And if we’re doing well, we think your situation improves. 

And so, through all the various forums that we have, let’s continue to build.  And let’s recognize that in this global economy that we now live in that for us to be successful we’re going to have to further integrate, and we’re going to have to use not just the powers of governments -- government-to-government relations; it’s going to be people to people, business to business.  It’s going to be networks.  It’s going to be private sector, public sector, non-for-profits all working together around common goals. 

     And I think this forum is an extraordinary opportunity to build on the talents of a lot of people from a lot of sectors around the region.  We look forward to working with you.  We look forward to partnering with you.  And I have to say, this visit has made me extraordinarily optimistic about not just the future of the United States and the future of Central America, but the entire hemisphere. 

So thank you very much.  (Applause.

                       END                11:50 A.M. CST

Remarks by the President to the People of Mexico

Anthropology Museum
Mexico City, Mexico

9:29 A.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hola!  (Applause.)  Buenos dias!  Please, please, everybody have a seat.  It is wonderful to be back in México -- lindo y querido.  (Applause.)  I bring with me the greetings and friendship of the people of the United States, including tens of millions of proud Mexican Americans.  (Applause.)
 
This is my fourth visit to Mexico as President.  This is my second visit to this museum.  And each time that I've come I’ve been inspired by your culture and by the beauty of this land, and most of all, by the Mexican people.  You’ve been so kind and gracious to me.  You’ve welcomed my wife, Michelle, here.  (Applause.)  You’ve welcomed our daughter, Malia, and her classmates to Oaxaca.  And as a proud father, I have to say that Malia’s Spanish is getting very good.  It helps that she’s smarter than I am.
 
And it’s an honor to be back in Mexico City -- one of the world’s great cities.  Es un placer estar entre amigos.  (Applause.) 

And it’s fitting that we gather at this great museum, which celebrates Mexico’s ancient civilizations and their achievements in arts and architecture, medicine and mathematics.  In modern times, Mexico’s blend of cultures and traditions found its expression in the murals of Rivera and the paintings of Frida, and the poetry of Sor Juana and the essays of Octavio Paz.  And Paz once spoke words that capture the spirit of our gathering here today -- in this place that celebrates your past, but which this morning is filled with so many young people who will shape Mexico’s future.  Octavio Paz said, “Modernity is not outside us, it is within us.  It is today and the most ancient antiquity; it is tomorrow and the beginning of the world; it is a thousand years old and yet newborn.”
 
And that’s why I wanted this opportunity to speak with all of you today, because you live at the intersection of history that Octavio Paz was referring to.  The young people of Mexico, you honor your heritage, thousands of years old, but you’re also part of something new, a nation that’s in the process of remaking itself.  And as our modern world changes around us, it’s the spirit of young people, your optimism and your idealism, and your willingness to discard old habits that are no longer working that will drive the world forward.
 
You see the difference between the world as it is and the world as it could to be; between old attitudes that stifle progress and the new thinking that allows us to connect and collaborate across cultures.  And by the way, that includes how we think about the relationship between Mexico and the United States.
 
Despite all the bonds and the values that we share, despite all the people who claim heritage on both sides, our attitudes sometimes are trapped in old stereotypes.  Some Americans only see the Mexico that is depicted in sensational headlines of violence and border crossings.  And let’s admit it, some Mexicans think that America disrespects Mexico, or thinks that America is trying to impose itself on Mexican sovereignty, or just wants to wall ourselves off.  And in both countries such distortions create misunderstandings that make it harder for us to move forward together.  So I've come to Mexico because I think it’s time for us to put the old mind-sets aside.  It’s time to recognize new realities -- including the impressive progress of today’s Mexico. (Applause.)

It is true that there are Mexicans all across this country who are making courageous sacrifices for the security of your country; that in the countryside and the neighborhoods not far from here, there are those who are still struggling to give their children a better life.  But what’s also clear is that a new Mexico is emerging.

I see it in the deepening of Mexico’s democracy, citizens who are standing up and saying that violence and impunity is not acceptable; a courageous press that’s working to hold leaders accountable; a robust civil society, including brave defenders of human rights who demand dignity and rule of law.  You have political parties that are competing vigorously, but also transferring power peacefully, and forging compromise.  And that's all a sign of the extraordinary progress that's taken place here in Mexico. 

And even though we know the work of perfecting democracy is never finished -- that's true in America, that's true here in Mexico -- you go forward knowing the truth that Benito Juarez once spoke -- “democracy is the destiny of humanity.”  And we are seeing that here in Mexico.  (Applause.)  We're seeing that here in Mexico.   
 
We're also seeing a Mexico that’s creating new prosperity:  Trading with the world.  Becoming a manufacturing powerhouse -- from Tijuana to Monterrey to Guadalajara and across the central highlands -- a global leader in automobiles and appliances and electronics, but also a center of high-tech innovation, producing the software and the hardware of our digital age.  One man in Querétaro spoke for an increasing number of Mexicans.  “There’s no reason to go abroad in search of a better life.  There are good opportunities here.”  That's what he said, and you are an example of that.
 
And, in fact, I see a Mexico that’s lifted millions of people from poverty.  Because of the sacrifices of generations, a majority of Mexicans now call themselves middle class, with a quality of life that your parents and grandparents could only dream of.  This includes, by the way, opportunities for women, who are proving that when you give women a chance, they will shape our destiny just as well as men, if not better.  (Applause.)
 
I also see in Mexico’s youth an empowered generation because of technology.  I think I see some of you tweeting right now -- (laughter) -- what’s happening.  (Laughter.)  And whether it’s harnessing social media to preserve indigenous languages, or speaking up for the future that you want, you’re making it clear that you want your voice heard.  
 
And because of all the dynamic progress that's taking place here in Mexico, Mexico is also taking its rightful place in the world, on the world stage.  Mexico is standing up for democracy not just here in Mexico but throughout the hemisphere.  Mexico is sharing expertise with neighbors across the Americas.  When they face earthquakes or threats to their citizens, or go to the polls to cast their votes, Mexico is there, helping its neighbors.  Mexico has joined the ranks of the world’s largest economies.  It became the first Latin American nation to host the G20.
 
Just as Mexico is being transformed, so are the ties between our two countries.  As President, I’ve been guided by a basic proposition -- in this relationship there’s no senior partner or junior partner; we are two equal partners, two sovereign nations. We must work together in mutual interest and mutual respect.  And if we do that both Mexico and the United States will prosper. (Applause.) 
  
And just as I worked with President Calderón, I’ve reaffirmed with President Peña Nieto that the great partnership between our two countries will not simply continue, it’s going to grow stronger and become broader.  In my time with President Peña Nieto, I’ve come to see his deep commitment to Mexico and its future.  And we share the belief that as leaders our guiding mission is to improve the lives of our people.  And so we agree that the relationship between our nations must be defined not by the threats that we face but by the prosperity and the opportunity that we can create together.  (Applause.) 

Now, as equal partners, both our nations must recognize our mutual responsibilities.  So here in Mexico, you’ve embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to make your economy more competitive and your institutions more accountable to you, the Mexican people.  As you pursue these reforms, I want you to know that you have strong support in the United States.  Because we believe, I believe, that people all around the world deserve the best from their government.  And whether you’re looking for basic services, or trying to start a new business, we share your belief that you should be able to make it through your day without paying a bribe.  And when talented Mexicans like you imagine your future, you should have every opportunity to succeed right here in the country you love.
 
And in the United States, we recognize our responsibilities.  We understand that much of the root cause of violence that's been happening here in Mexico, for which many so Mexicans have suffered, is the demand for illegal drugs in the United States.  And so we’ve got to continue to make progress on that front.  (Applause.)

I’ve been asked, and I honestly do not believe that legalizing drugs is the answer.  But I do believe that a comprehensive approach -- not just law enforcement, but education and prevention and treatment -- that's what we have to do.  And we’re going to stay at it because the lives of our children and the future of our nations depend on it.
 
And we also recognize that most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States.  (Applause.) I think many of you know that in America, our Constitution guarantees our individual right to bear arms, and as President I swore an oath to uphold that right and I always will.  But at the same time, as I’ve said in the United States, I will continue to do everything in my power to pass common-sense reforms that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous people.  That can save lives here in Mexico and back home in the United States. It’s the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  So we’ll keep increasing the pressure on gun traffickers who bring illegal guns into Mexico.  We’ll keep putting these criminals where they belong -- behind bars. 

We recognize we’ve got work to do on security issues, but we also recognize our responsibility -- as a nation that believes that all people are created equal -- we believe it’s our responsibility to make sure that we treat one another with dignity and respect.  And this includes recognizing how the United States has been strengthened by the extraordinary contributions of immigrants from Mexico and by Americans of Mexican heritage.  (Applause.)
 
Mexican Americans enrich our communities, including my hometown of Chicago, where you can walk through neighborhoods like Pilsen, Little Village -- La Villita -- dotted with murals of Mexican patriots.  You can stop at a fonda, you can hear some mariachis, where we are inspired by the deep faith of our peoples at churches like Our Lady of Guadalupe.  We’ve got a Chicagoan in here somewhere.  (Applause.)
 
And we’re so grateful to Mexican Americans in every segment of our society -- for teaching our children, and running our companies, and serving with honor in our military, and making breakthroughs in science, standing up for social justice.  As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told Cesar Chavez once, we are “brothers in the fight for equality.”  And, in fact, without the strong support of Latinos, including so many Mexican Americans, I would not be standing today as President of the United States.  (Applause.)  That's the truth.
 
And so given that is Americas heritage, given that we share a border with Mexico, given ties that run back generations, it is critical that the United States recognize the need to reform our immigration system -- (applause) -- because we are a nation of laws, but we're also a nation of immigrants.  Like every nation we have a responsibility to ensure that our laws are upheld.  But we also know that, as a nation of immigrants, the immigration system we have in the United States right now doesn’t reflect our values.  It separates families when we should be reuniting them. It’s led to millions of people to live in the shadows.  It deprives us of the talents of so many young people -- even though we know that immigrants have always been the engine of our economy, starting some of our greatest companies and pioneering new industries.
 
That’s one of the reasons I acted to lift the shadow of deportation from what we call the DREAMers -- young people brought to the United States as children.  (Applause.)  And that’s why I’m working with our Congress to pass common-sense immigration reform this year.  (Applause.)  I'm convinced we can get it done.   Reform that continues to strengthen border security and strengthen legal immigration, so citizens don’t have to wait years to bring their families to the United States.  Reform that holds everyone accountable -- so immigrants get on the right side of the law and so immigrants are not exploited and abused.  And most of all, reform that gives millions of undocumented individuals a pathway to earn their citizenship.   And I’m optimistic that -- after years of trying -- we are going to get it done this year.  I'm absolutely convinced of it.  (Applause.) 
 
Obviously, we’re going to have to work with the Mexican government to make sure that we've got a well-regulated border.  But I also want to work with the Mexican government because I believe that the long-term solution to the challenge of illegal immigration is a growing and prosperous Mexico that creates more jobs and opportunities for young people here.
 
I agree with the Mexican student who said, “I feel like we can reach the same level as anyone in the world.”  That's absolutely true.  And so I firmly believe -- juntos, podemos lograr más -- together, we can achieve more.  (Applause.)  So with the remainder of my time today, I want to focus on five areas where we can do more.
 
Number one, let’s do more to expand trade and commerce that creates good jobs for our people.  We already buy more of your exports than any country in the world.  We sell more of our exports to Mexico than we do to Brazil, Russia, India and China combined.  (Applause.)  Mexican companies are investing more in the United States, and we’re the largest foreign investor in Mexico -- because we believe in Mexico and want to be a partner in your success.
 
So guided by the new economic dialogue that President Peña Nieto and I announced yesterday, let’s do more to unlock the true potential of our relationship.  Let’s keep investing in our roads and our bridges and our border crossings so we can trade faster and cheaper.  Let’s help our smaller businesses, which employ most of our workers, access new markets and new capital -- the big markets right across the border.  Let’s empower our young entrepreneurs as they create startup companies that can transform how we live.  (Applause.)  And let’s realize the Trans-Pacific Partnership this year, so our two nations can compete and win in the fast-growing markets of the Asia Pacific.  If the United States and Mexico are working together, we can sell a whole lot of things on the other side of the Pacific Ocean where the fastest-growing economies are taking off right now.  That's number one.
 
Number two, let’s not just sell more things to each other, let’s build more things together.  With many of our companies operating in both countries, parts are now being shipped back and forth across the border as they’re assembled.  So every day, U.S. and Mexican workers are building things together -- whether it’s crafts -- or whether it’s cars, or aircraft, or computers, or satellites.
 
I think this is only the beginning.  Given the skills of our workers, it makes even more sense for companies around the world to set up shop in the United States and set up shop in Mexico.  And as Mexico reforms, we’re going to be able to do more business together and sell more goods around the world.  And the more that our companies collaborate, the more competitive they’ll be.  And the entire hemisphere will benefit because of those links and chains that have been created between our two countries.  
 
Number three, as we secure our economic future, let’s secure our energy future, including the clean energy that we need to combat climate change.  Our nations are blessed with boundless natural beauty -- from our coastlines and farmlands to your tropical forests.  But climate change is happening.  The science is undeniable.  And so is the fact that our economies must become greener.
 
In the United States, we’ve made historic commitments to clean and renewable energy like solar and wind power.  We've made a commitment to reduce the emissions of harmful carbon pollution.  And here in Mexico, you’re a leader in cutting carbon emissions and helping developing countries do the same.  So, together, let’s keep building new energy partnerships by harnessing all these new sources, and, by the way, creating the good jobs that come with these new technologies.  And let’s keep investing in green buildings and technologies that make our entire economy more efficient, but also make our planet cleaner and safer for future generations.  (Applause.)
 
Number four -- and this is part of staying competitive -- let’s do more together in education so our young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed.  (Applause.)  Here in Mexico you’ve made important progress, with more children staying in school longer, and record numbers of students like you getting a university education.  Just imagine how much the students of our two countries could do together, how much we could learn from each other. 

And that’s why President Peña Nieto and I announced a new partnership in higher education -- to encourage more collaboration between our universities and our university students.  (Applause.)  We’re going to focus on science and  technology, on engineering and mathematics.  And this is part of my broader initiative called 100,000 Strong in the Americas.  We want 100,000 students from the United States studying in Latin America, including Mexico.  And we want 100,000 Latin American students, including Mexican students, to come to study in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  Because when we study together, and we learn together, we work together, and we prosper together -- that's what I believe.  (Applause.)
 
And finally, to help spark prosperity in both out countries, let’s truly invest in innovation, and research and development together.  Here in Mexico, you’re now a global leader in graduating engineers and technicians.  One of Mexico’s leading scientists, Rafael Navarro-González, is helping analyze data from the rover that we landed on Mars.
 
So, together, let’s remember that every dollar, every peso that we invest in research and development returns so much more to our economies in jobs and opportunity, new products, new services.  That's why I'm calling for us to forge new partnerships in aerospace, and IT, and nanotechnology and biotechnology and robotics.  Let’s answer the hope of a young woman -- a student at the National Polytechnic Institute -- who spoke for many in your generation, so eager to make your mark.  She said, “Give us jobs as creators.”  Give us jobs as creators.

Sometimes young people are known as just consumers of goods, but we want young people creating the new products, the next big thing that will change how we live our lives.  That's the agenda that I want to pursue.  
 
And I understand that there are those both here in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America, but also back home in the United States, who are skeptical of your progress, who maybe doubt the  capacity for us to make the most of this moment.  There are always cynics who say, aw, this is too hard, the headwinds you face are too stiff.  They say Mexico has been here before we look like we're making progress, we're looking at a bright horizon, on the verge of great possibility, but then we get blown off course.
And it’s true that nothing is inevitable.  Progress and success is never guaranteed.  The future that you dream of, the Mexico you imagine -- it must be built, it must be earned.  Nobody else can do it for you.  Only you can earn it.  You are the future.  As Nervo wrote in “La Raza de Bronce,” tu eres el sueño -- you are the dream.  (Applause.)
 
For just as it was patriots who answered the call when Father Hidalgo rang the church bell two centuries ago, you -- your lives, in a free Mexico -- are the dream that they imagined.  And now it falls to you to keep alive those virtues for which so many generations of Mexicans struggled.
 
You are the dream that can stand up for justice and human rights and human dignity, here at home and around the world.  You’re the creators and the builders and the climbers and the strivers who can deliver progress and prosperity that will lift up not just the Mexican people for generations to come, but the entire world.
 
You’re the men and women who will push this nation upwards as Mexico assumes its rightful place, as you proudly sing: “in heaven your eternal destiny was written by the finger of God.”
 
You are the dream.  This is your moment.  And as you reach for the future, always remember that you have the greatest of  partners, the greatest if friends -- the nation that is rooting for your success more than anybody else -- your neighbor, the United States of America.  (Applause.)
 
Viva México!   Viva los Estados Unidos!   Que Dios los bendiga!  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END  
9:56 A.M. CDT