The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Peru.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier González-Olaechea met on March 14 in Washington, D.C., to discuss a wide range of shared values and interests, including democracy and human rights, rule of law, and cooperation on regional security, trade, investment, and migration.
They emphasized the importance of further strengthening the strategic partnership between our countries, including through the first High-Level Bilateral Dialogue between Peru and the United States, scheduled for May 9, 2024, in Washington, DC. They also reaffirmed our joint commitment to advance economic initiatives under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which the United States hosted last year and Peru is hosting this year.
The Secretary and Minister agreed to establish a working group to reinforce our cooperation to enhance citizen security and bolster the fight against transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking and related offenses.
Agreeing on the need for a safe, prosperous, and democratic Haiti, they underscored the importance of supporting a successful deployment of the Haiti Multinational Security Support mission in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2699 (2023).
Both parties concurred that democracy is indispensable for stability, peace, economic and social development, and respect for human rights, and that strong and independent institutions and the separation of powers are crucial to healthy democracies.
Recognizing the significant beneficial outcomes for the people of both countries of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement , which entered into force 15 years ago, and our shared goals to build a more resilient and prosperous region though the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP), the Secretary and Foreign Minister prioritized promoting more investment in strategic areas such as energy - including critical minerals that are necessary for energy transition - and sustainable infrastructure. The Secretary welcomed Peru's invitation for a U.S. business mission to visit Peru. The Secretary and Minister reaffirmed both countries' commitment to inclusive and sustainable economic growth that respects the environment.
The Secretary and Minister recognized the global and regional challenges posed by migration and the importance of prioritizing the protection, safety, and socio-economic integration of refugees and migrants, in accordance with the principles of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. They renewed their commitment to further cooperation on this matter.
In recognition of Peru's rich culture and history and the success of our cultural property agreement, the United States Government returned to Peru an important 16th century document recently recovered by the FBI. This rare work, dated June 28, 1599, is a contract for the formation in Lima of the first-ever theatrical company in the Americas.
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