President Obama and President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia speak about the relationship between the US and Colombia

SPEAKERS: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

PRESIDENT ALVARO URIBE VELEZ OF COLOMBIA

[*] OBAMA: Well, I am very pleased to have President Uribe here today with his delegation from Colombia. The relationship between the United States and Colombia has been extremely strong. We've had great cooperation on a whole range of issues, and President Uribe's administration I think has under very difficult circumstances performed admirably on a whole range of fronts.

On security, on reducing the influence of the drug cartels, in improving the economic situation for his people and stabilizing the country, he has performed with diligence and courage.

And so we are grateful for his friendship, and I'm glad that he was able to come and visit us here today.

In our discussions we talked about a range of issues. We've discussed most prominently the interests of both countries in moving forward on a free trade agreement. This is something that has been discussed for quite some time.