SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you all for being here today. Thank you to the foreign minister of Paraguay for joining us here today. This is a historic step in our partnership between our two countries. This Status of Forces Agreement, it demonstrates our shared commitment to security, regional security. The biggest threat in the Western Hemisphere that we face is the threat of transnational criminal networks, transnational terrorist networks. We've said this, if you see it in our - in the document we put out just about 10 days ago in our National Security Strategy.
If you look at the fundamental problem in the hemisphere, the most serious problem we have in our hemisphere is these transnational terrorist organizations, who are not ideologically terrorists in many cases but are financial and economic in their basis, but nonetheless are operating as terrorist organizations and threaten the stability and security of the region.
It's a problem we see in multiple places, and we need strong partners to confront them. We need strong partners in the region that understand that that's the biggest threat in our hemisphere and are committed to working with us to confronting it. And we can do it in a way that also respects the sovereignty of our partner nations.
So what we sign today is a Status of Forces Agreement that allows us to formalize a partnership that already exists and that we want to build upon; that allows us to train together; that allows us to advance the transfer of equipment that they need for their own security; that allow us to share intelligence in real time; that allow us to operate together when necessary - and in the case of any contingencies, by the way. This includes having an opportunity to very quickly partner on humanitarian responses, be it to natural disasters or anything else.
So we're excited for this - for the ability to do this today. Paraguay is among our strongest allies in the world, but certainly in the region, and we want to continue to find concrete ways to work together and operate together. And by the way, this extends beyond the security realm. This is not just a security matter. This agreement is about security, but we also want to extend and expand our cooperation on the economic front. There's a lot of good things, positive things happening in Paraguay, a tremendous potential to make Paraguay a richer country and do so in partnership with American economic interests in a way that further binds our two countries together and makes us stronger. So we're very grateful for that.
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via translation)
I would like to thank Minister Lezcano for being with us today to sign this agreement. An extremely important agreement. The primary threat in the hemisphere is transnational terrorism from various cartels and other operations in the region, which is a direct threat to the national security of the United States, but also a threat to the national security of our allies and neighboring countries here in the hemisphere.
This was made clear in the documents. The strategy document that came out just a week ago states very clearly that the most serious threat we face in this region is these groups, which in some countries and some regions of the hemisphere still have even more power than the governments that exist there. Obviously, Paraguay is not one of them, but there are other countries where the government and its ability to govern its space and national territory are directly threatened by the presence of these armed, criminal, and terrorist groups.
And confronting that threat is a priority. Today we are signing this agreement, an agreement that respects Paraguay's sovereignty, but also creates the opportunity to work even more closely and jointly to confront this threat. On top of that, it also creates the opportunity to train together, cooperate together, and exchange information directly and quickly.
And, on top of that, it also allows us to respond to any humanitarian cases that may arise in the future. Not just in Paraguay, but in the region, because then operations may be carried out on Paraguayan territory, together with Paraguay, but it will be a response to a humanitarian issue that arises elsewhere in the region, in another country. But having that presence there is extremely important. And it is not limited to that.
Obviously, this is a security agreement that we are signing today. But what we have here is also an opportunity to cooperate economically, where there are many opportunities to use Paraguay's economic power to make Paraguay a richer country, so that the people, the citizens of Paraguay, have more economic opportunities to advance and at the same time do so in cooperation with U.S. companies that are willing to invest responsibly and effectively in the economy, and also help create jobs, sources of income, etc., for the citizens of their country.
And on top of all this, to continue teaching, as there is no… we have one of the strongest allies we have in the world and certainly in the region, which is the country of Paraguay and its political leadership. So I welcome you and thank you very much for being here with us today.
FOREIGN MINISTER LEZCANO: Thank you. Thank you so much, Your Excellency, dear Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Your commitment with our relation is quite important - 160 years of relation, diplomatic relation, between Paraguay and the United States is going on the good way. This is the opportunity to express clearly our commitment to fight against the terrorist organization, the international or transnational crime organizations. We are very committed to the freedom, to the human rights, to the rule of law, and obviously with the freedom. The freedom is one of the most important step in which we are working, because fighting against the terrorism is allowing our people to be - to have a better life and freedom.
This is an agreement that it will strength our relation not only on security, as you well express, dear Marco. It's going to allow us to work very close to building capacities, our force - security forces, and will allow us as well to be closer on our relation, on our strategy, on development of security.
(In Spanish).
(The agreement was signed.)
(Applause.)
