Today on the Trip
Thursday, May 8, 1997
On Thursday, May 8, President Clinton spent his first full day in Costa
Rica
participating in the Central American Summit. Major events of the
President's
day included:
Parade from Museum of Costa Rican
Art to National Theater
Summit Opening Ceremony
Central American Summit
Reception with Regional
Peacemakers
Dinner with Central American
Leaders
Parade from Museum of Costa Rican Art to National Theater
President Clinton participated in the public centerpiece of the Central
American Summit, a one and a half-mile motorcade procession from the
Museum of
Costa Rican Art to the National Theater, site of the Summit. President
Clinton
and the seven Central American presidents departed by separate limousines
from
the Museum and proceeded down Paseo Colon (Columbus Boulevard), a wide
street,
which was lined with school children and adults.
Summit Opening Ceremony
President Clinton participated in the Summit's official opening ceremony
on
the plaza in front of the National Theater. Following the opening
ceremonies,
including opening remarks by President Clinton and the other assembled
leaders,
the Summit began in the National Theater.
Central American Summit
President Clinton participated in the Central American Summit. The
Summit
brought together all the leaders of Central America to discuss and build
regional cooperation for trade liberalization, the strengthening of
democracy
and good governance, sustainable development, and poverty and
discrimination
reduction. The leaders also worked to boost the on-going regional
efforts at
economic integration. Central American economic integration is an
important
part of the effort to construct the Free Trade Area of the Americas by 2005.
Central American leaders attending the Summit include:
President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic
Prime Minister Esquivel of Belize
President Figueres of Costa Rica
President Calderon Sol of El Salvador
President Reina of Honduras
President Aleman of Nicaragua
President Arzu of Guatemala
The Summit was followed by a press conference and signing ceremony in the
Main
Hall of National Theater, and by a lunch with the Central American
leaders and
delegations in the National Theater's salon.
Reception with Regional Peacemakers
Reception with Regional Peacemakers
President Clinton met with a number of regional peacemakers, including
Oscar
Arias, former president of Costa Rica (1986-90) and winner of the 1987
Nobel
Peace Prize, at the Herradura Convention Center.
Dinner with Central American Leaders
President Clinton attended a dinner with other Central American leaders
and 500
people from throughout Central America. At the end of the dinner,
Presidents
Clinton and Figueres exchanged toasts.
Wednesday, May 7, 1997
Tuesday, May 6, 1997
President Clinton's Trip to Mexico, Costa Rica, and
Barbados
| 
