1989-04-01
President Bush this morning had breakfast in the Residence with Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez. The breakfast and meeting focused on the Venezuelan debt situation. President Perez described the economic reforms being undertaken in Venezuela. President Bush encouraged President Perez to continue those reforms. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Central America and the new United States bipartisan agreement. President Bush emphasized keeping diplomatic pressure on the Sandinistas, and he asked for Venezuelan support in that effort.
The breakfast and meeting began at 8 a.m. and lasted approximately 90 minutes. Participating on the U.S. side were the President; Vice President Quayle; Secretary of State James Baker; Secretary of the Treasury Nicholas Brady; Chief of Staff John Sununu; National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft; Bernard Aronson, Assistant Secretary of State-designate for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs; and Robert Pasterino from the National Security Council staff. Participating from the Venezuelan side were President Perez, Foreign Minister Enrique Tejera-Paris, Minister of Planning Miguel Rodriguez, Chief of Staff Reinaldo Figueredo, Ambassador to the United States Valentin Hernandez, and Ambassador-designate to the United States Simon Alberto Consalvi.
