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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 19, 2001

Statement by the Press Secretary
U.S. and Mexico Agree on Framework for Delivery of
Rio Grande Water

The United States and Mexico have agreed on a timetable for Mexico to deliver, this year, 600,000 acre feet of water owed under the terms of the 1944 bilateral treaty that relates to the waters of the Rio Grande, Colorado and Tijuana Rivers.  The United States and Mexico also agreed, after expert-level consultations, on a framework for reaching agreements that will permit Mexico to cover future deliveries in accordance with the 1944 treaty.

Senior officials of our two countries also agreed to a comprehensive, expert-level look at ways we can enhance cooperation in managing water resources in the Rio Grande basin.  This agreement effectively resolves the question of distribution of Rio Grande waters for this year's agricultural season, and establishes the basis for addressing the issue in a spirit of cooperation over the medium to long term.

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