(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The basis for the strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Chile includes the fact that the countries have a free trade agreement that has greatly expanded commerce and created jobs in both countries, President Barack Obama said on Monday during an appearance in the Oval Office with Chile President Michelle Bachele
"We have excellent cooperation when it comes to a wide range of issues - energy, education, people-to-people relations," Obama said. "Chile has been a model of democracy in Latin America. It has been able to consistently transition from center-left governments to center-right governments, but always respectful of democratic traditions." Across the political spectrum, Chile "respects and fights for the democratic process," which "makes it a great model for the entire hemisphere," he sai
"We are both very interested in energy and how we can transition to a clean energy economy, and we will be announcing some collaborations, including the facilitation of construction of a major solar plant inside of Chile that can help meet their energy needs," Obama sai
The two plan to also discuss issues of security in Central America and the Caribbean, "and I will be very interested in hearing President Bachelet's views, and we will discuss international issues," he sai
Chile, with its seat on the UN Security Council, can serve as a leader on issues that include peacekeeping, conflict resolution and climate change, "and we have great confidence that in that role, Chile will continue to be a positive force for good around the world," Obama sai
Bachelet said she and Obama would discuss regional and international issues, as well as "education, energy, science and technology, and people-to-people relations." "We are commemorating 10 years of the free trade agreement, from U.S. and Chile, and the U.S. is our most important foreign investor," she said
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