Monday, September 5, 2016

Notes on Meeting between Enrique Peña Nieto and Donald Trump

Office of the Mexican Presidency

• Mexicans in the US are honest, hard-working people, good people who respect families, community life and the law, President Peña Nieto declared.

President Enrique Peña Nieto today [August 31] conversed with Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s candidate in the US presidential elections at the official residence of Los Pinos.

After a private meeting, the president and Mr. Trump issued a joint press statement, in which President Peña Nieto recalled that he sent an invitation to both US presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, to discuss bilateral relations, “Which was quickly taken up by Mr. Trump."

He said that, “The Mexican government has shown total respect for the US electoral process.”

He stated that during the meaning, they discussed the importance of relations between the two countries and their strategic partnership.

He declared that, “Every day the Mexican community in the US contributes to the prosperity and development of the United States and Mexico through its work, talent and creativity."

“Mexicans in the United States are honest, hard-working people; they are good people, who respect families, community life and the law."

“As such, Mexicans deserve everyone’s respect,” he said.

He said: “My priority as President of Mexico and that of my government is to protect Mexicans wherever they are. That is my responsibility and I will continue to fulfill it with my total dedication."

President Peña Nieto added that he told Mr. Trump, “There have been misinterpretations or statements that have unfortunately hurt and affected Mexicans,” and he pointed out that he has been fully respectful of his candidacy.

He added “that the people of Mexico have felt offended by the remarks made, but I was sure that you were genuinely interested in building a relationship that will enable us to provide our societies with greater well-being."

He underlined the Mexican president’s desire to meet up with the two US presidential candidates. “That is precisely what underlies this premise: being able to build together.”

The president issued an invitation to continue working, “To cement relations between Mexico and the US, on the basis of mutual respect, trust and a joint approach to our shared challenges,” and he repeated his determination to engage in constructive dialogue, because, “Dialogue is the path to take because it brings those who think differently together; dialogue is the path, because it enables one to reach greater understanding."

He said that, “As our friend President Barack Obama has done, the US president will find in Mexico and its government a neighbor who wishes to work constructively to strengthen relations between our countries and jointly cope with our shared challenges."  

“I firmly believe that there are great opportunities for both countries if we decide to leverage them together, as true friends, good neighbors and strategic allies, on the basis of a relationship based on mutual respect,” he added.

In the Adolfo López Mateos Hall, the Mexican president told Mr. Trump that although they may not agree on a number of issues his presence shows that we agree on a fundamental issue: our respective countries are important to each other. The US is very important to Mexico, in the same way as Mexico is very important to the United States.

On the subject of border issues, he said that the border should become an asset for the region. He mentioned that, “We have made great strides in recent years, working very closely with President Obama's administration, and with the next administration we must speed up these efforts to ensure that the Mexico-US border is more efficient and safer."

What we need, he added, “Is an integral approach to the border that will meet the challenges of crossings by undocumented persons and the illegal flow of drugs, weapons and cash at the same time."

“Our border must be seen as a joint opportunity,” he said.

The Mexican president said that, “Regardless of the results of the US elections, the next US administration can expect continuity and willingness on the Mexican government's part to make the North American region safer."

The Link between Our Two Countries is Profound and Sincere: Donald Trump

Donald Trump described Mexico as “strong, prosperous and vibrant,” adding that, “It is in the United States' best interests and it will keep and help to keep America united for a long time."

He said that, “The link between our two countries is profound and sincere,” adding that the two countries “benefit from the close, honest relationship between our two governments."

He said that many of the things said at the meeting “were very strong, but we must be strong; we must say what is happening."

Moreover, he said: “I really believe President Peña Nieto and I will work [to] solve these problems. Illegal migration is a problem for Mexico as well as for us; drugs are a tremendous problem for Mexico as they are for us."

He agreed that, “This is not a one-way street,” and added that “we will have to solve these problems."

He said that President Enrique Peña Nieto and he had “A very substantial, constructive conversation.  We exchanged ideas for a long time." And he added: “I was very direct in putting forward my points of view on the impact of trade, and trade and migratory policies in the US."

He also said: “I really love the US and we obviously want to be sure that people in the US are well protected,” and added that “President Peña Nieto also expressed his feeling and love for Mexico."

That is why, he said, “We have a love for democracy and our peoples and appreciate the contributions of millions of Mexican Americans in the United States."

He said that the US has, “First, second and third generation Mexicans who are beyond reproach; they are hard-working, spectacular peoples. I have a great respect for all these people and their strong family, faith and community values.”

He declared that, "We all share a common interest in keeping our hemisphere safe, prosperous and free."

He concluded by saying: “Our countries will work together for the mutual good of our peoples.”

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Presidency of the Republic, Aug. 31, 2016, Mexico, DF; translation by Presidency of the Republic