Monday, May 31, 2010

Joint Mexico-Canada Message during Binational Meetings

Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico

(Joint Press Statement)

Thank you.

Mr. Prime Minister.

Members of the media.

I would like to thank the people and government of Canada for inviting me to make this official visit.

I bring all Canadians affectionate greetings from the people of Mexico, a friendly, neighboring country that is also a partner of this great country.

Canada and Mexico have built a privileged relationship, since we have common principles, objectives, interests and values: principles such as democracy, freedom, justice, respect for human rights and respect for the law.

The reason for this visit is to consolidate and expand our bilateral relationship at all levels, on the basis of the great understanding we have forged within the framework of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

To this end, I held a broad, fruitful conversation with Prime Minister Harper this morning. The result of our dialogue has been extremely positive, since we reviewed the main issues that interest us.

First, regarding economic issues. Both leaders agreed on the need to work together to make North America the world’s most highly competitive and productive region. To achieve this, we agreed on the need to boost investments, trade and tourism in the region.

Faced with the challenges of globalization, we must consolidate the process of integration in which we are immersed on the basis of the complementarity of our economies.

Second. We agreed that transnational criminal organizations trafficking in drugs, weapons and people have become a threat to all countries.

Given this situation, Mexico and Canada must expand and deepen cooperation on police and judicial issues. I would like to thank Prime Minister Harper and the Canadian government for their support in training Mexican police, improving the quality of our forces of law and order, and in general boosting the capacity of public enforcement in Mexico.

Third. We discussed the willingness of both countries to work together to meet our International commitments.

We told Canada of our interest in generating consensus and greater collaboration on climate change in the upcoming COP-16, to be held in Cancún, Mexico.

Canada’s leadership has been extremely important in the history of this issue and is now required to deal with this challenge faced by mankind.

I specifically asked Prime Minister Harper to help our countries develop a regional perspective on this issue.

Fourth. As I have said and you know, the admirable Canadian tradition of international asylum was used for other purposes, which led the Canadian government to the regrettable measure of establishing a visa requirement for Mexicans.

I have told Prime Minister Harper again of our distress over the series of events and decisions that led to this situation. I also expressed the Mexican government’s absolute willingness to work together to overcome this.

I am absolutely convinced that this meeting will mark the start of a stage of more opportunities for our bilateral relationship. This statement is also based on the fact that our respective Foreign Ministries launched the Mexico-Canada 2009-2012 Action Plan today [May 27], because this Plan ensures we are in tune with the five objectives of the recent North American Leaders’ Summit: competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development, population’s well-being, and regional security.

Three major agreements between Canada and Mexico were also implemented.

And for all these reasons, I declare that this has been an extremely productive meeting. And I hope that the following activities in this visit will also help reinforce the already close, friendly relationship between Mexico and Canada.

Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.

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Press Release: Presidency of the Republic, May 27, 2010, Mexico, D.F.; translation Presidency of the Republic