Remarks With Foreign Minister of Mexico, Luis Ernesto Derbez at a Joint Press Availability

I look forward to meeting with President Fox to discuss the determination that he and President Bush share to strengthen our already strong relationship. Both our leaders recognize that the U.S.-Mexican relationship is central to the wellbeing and future prosperity of our citizens.

I'm here to co-chair with Secretary Derbez the 21st meeting of our Binational Commission. Our large high-level delegation is a testament to the importance that we attach to this relationship, and as you know, I have a very powerful cabinet delegation with me and I am pleased that they were able to take the time to be with me.

The United States values Mexico's role as a regional and, increasingly, a global leader. In this hemisphere, we welcome and strongly support the role undertaken by Mexico to promote democracy in Bolivia, Venezuela and Haiti. In our working group meetings, we reviewed a wide bilateral agenda. The migration issue, of course, is an important one for all Mexicans and Americans. In our meetings, we reaffirmed President Bush's plan to work with our new Congress on developing a temporary worker program to match willing foreign workers with willing U.S. employers. The President is committed to making this a high priority in his second term.

We also discussed joint efforts to protect our countries from counter -- from terrorism, and already, we have noted that our partnership has enhanced the security of both our countries. Similarly, my colleagues reviewed with their Mexican counterparts issues from law enforcement cooperation to resource management.

During the course of our meetings, we have taken long strides toward real progress on subjects as diverse as natural resources, social development, and education. Among commitments made, some of which have already even been touched on by Secretary Derbez, we agreed to cooperate in housing finance beginning with a conference in Mexico next spring. We're committed to broadening our collaboration to improve education of migrants, adults, workers, and those with special needs.

As an outgrowth of the Partnership for Prosperity, the United States' Overseas Private Investment Corporation recently was able to open its programs here in Mexico. Since then, OPIC has committed more than $40 million to eight projects. Today, the Partnership announced a $20 million OPIC loan supporting an information technology investment. In addition, we are announcing two new OPIC facilities that could bring up to $450 million in investment support.

In an increasingly global economy, we find again and again that our figures and our futures are closely linked. We understand what we need to do to get the growth rates we need. We know that we have to cooperate ever more closely in order to ensure a successful economic future for both of our nations. Together, we go forward as partners under NAFTA and across the entire range of our common interests.

It is essential for the well-being and prosperity of Americans and Mexicans that our two governments continue to do everything possible to strengthen our ties. Our meetings here today confirm that that is exactly what we intend to do.

And I would like to close these opening remarks by extending to the Secretary and to his colleagues our thanks for their warm hospitality.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

(Applause.)

FOREIGN SECRETARY DERBEZ: (In Spanish.)

QUESTION: (In Spanish.)

SECRETARY POWELL: On the first question, I can assure you that the President remains committed to migration reform. As he noted in his January 7 speech, he wants to move forward with a temporary workers program. And now that our election is over, and as we also are coming out of the 9/11 period and doing a better job of securing our borders, and as we have the President reelected for a second term and a new Congress coming in as well, we think that the environment has improved significantly for this kind of reform.

At the same time, we don't want to over-promise. What I said to Secretary Derbez is that when the new Congress comes into place in January, we will make an assessment with the new Congress the pace at which we can proceed with temporary worker programs, and how fast and how far we can move in what period of time.

We don't have Congressional elections next year, but our next set of elections for Congress will be 2006. And so this upcoming period as we get ourselves organized, listen to ideas on this program from our Mexican colleagues, and then make an assessment with the new Congress, I think this is an important period as we move forward.

There are other issues that we know that our Mexican colleagues wish to look at -- regularization and all of the other aspects of migration reform -- and all of these issues are on the table. But we want to start with the temporary workers program and make sure that we get this right and do this well with our Congress. And so, we have a clear understanding of how we should move forward, and I plan to report all of this to President Bush tomorrow.

With respect to Chairman Arafat, we know that he is gravely ill. There has been no confirmation of his demise yet and we will all watch and wait and keep the Palestinian people in our thoughts and mind at this difficult time for them.

The United States remains ready to engage with the Palestinian leadership, as the Palestinian leaders define that leadership, toward the President's vision of two states living side by side in peace: Israel and the state of Palestine. We know the way forward. The roadmap is there. The roadmap is ready to be used. The Quartet is ready to assist in the implementation of the roadmap.

And so, we will wait to see what happens in the days ahead, but our commitment to a two-state solution on the basis of the roadmap and on the basis of the two parties ultimately resolving all final status issues through direct negotiations between the two parties, remains intact. And as you know, President Bush will have an opportunity later this week to also discuss this matter with Prime Minister Blair, who will be visiting.

MODERATOR: Let's go to Mr. Gedda of the Associated Press.

QUESTION: Secretary Derbez, did you raise with Secretary Powell any concerns that Mexico may have about the treatment or mistreatment of Mexicans, either those crossing the border or those already living in the United States, and could you be -- if so, could you be as specific as possible about such cases?

FOREIGN SECRETARY DERBEZ: (In Spanish.)

QUESTION: (In Spanish.)

SECRETARY POWELL: Proposition 200 is a state proposition and solely within the purview of the state of Arizona and the people of Arizona to make a judgment on. We are still studying the elements in the proposition, and if we have any concerns about elements in the proposition which would make the proposition inconsistent with the federal laws, we will certainly make that view known. But I am not an expert in the proposition, but we will be watching it and its development with great care.

FOREIGN SECRETARY DERBEZ: (In Spanish.)

MODERATOR: Let's go to Arshad Mohammad of Reuters.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, as you are well aware, U.S. forces are engaged in an offensive in Fallujah. Do you have any concerns that the inevitable bloodshed from that offensive may, in fact, turn more Iraqi hearts and minds against the United States?

SECRETARY POWELL: We could no longer tolerate, and the Iraqi Interim Government could no longer tolerate, having a town in the center of the Sunni Triangle out of government control, being run by terrorists and former regime elements who were intimidating the population, stopping commerce, and were a threat to coalition forces, a threat to Iraqi forces, who were killing police, and who were essentially denying the Iraqi people the opportunity to participate in the political process which is now underway, leading to elections at the end of January 2005.

And so, Iraqi forces, alongside coalition forces, have assaulted Fallujah for the purpose of putting down this insurrection, to putting down this insurgency and reasserting control. Our troops will conduct this mission in a way that minimizes loss of civilian life and damage to civilian property, but it is a military action and lives will be lost on our side, on the side of the insurgents and, regrettably, innocent people who would just as soon not have this insurgency in their city.

The Prime Minister of the Iraqi people, Mr. Allawi, has been speaking to the Iraqi people, making known to them the need for this military action. It was done under his authority and with our complete cooperation and coordination, of course, and with our participation.

And we hope the Iraqi people and the people of the world will understand that as we move forward toward a democratic Iraq, we must put down this kind of insurgent activity, this kind of terrorist activity. And I hope that while there will be concerns about lost life, there will be equal concerns expressed about the lives that are lost by terrorists who set off bombs at police stations, at schools, at hospitals, and who murder dozens of people every day because they don't want these people to have freedom, democracy and a better life.

MODERATOR: (Inaudible), La Reforma.

QUESTION: (In Spanish.)

SECRETARY POWELL: Let me take them in the order, in a particular order. With respect to the oil platforms and rigs, this is entirely up to the Mexican Government. They have sovereign responsibility to guard and protect, provide security forces of whatever type are needed to protect their facilities. It has nothing to do with U.S. forces, U.S. police. Obviously, we stay in close touch with each other as to what the threat might be, but these are sovereign responsibilities and the United States would, in no way, intrude upon the sovereignty of the Mexican Government in this regard.

With respect to the safety of American citizens in Mexico, we have had some concerns that we have expressed to the Secretary and to the Mexican Government on occasion, but the reality is that most Americans who come to Mexico, who live in Mexico, who retire in Mexico, and go back and forth across the border constantly feel quite safe and welcome in Mexico. And that, I think, is a sign of the strength of our relationship.

With respect to our plans for a post-Castro Cuba, as you know, I chaired a commission that came up with some ideas of what the Cuban people would need after Castro leaves the scene, and we are keeping these plans updated. My commission also worked on what we might do to make it harder for Mr. Castro to acquire funds that would be not used for the benefit of the Cuban people. This is entirely something being done by the United States Government, within the United States Government. It was not a subject of conversation here with my Mexican colleagues.

QUESTION: Glenn Kessler, Washington Post.

Mr. Secretary, when you go to the meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh later this month, will you or members of your delegation meet with any Iranian officials? And if so, what kind of message would you give to them?

SECRETARY POWELL: There will be -- I believe the Iranians are planning to attend. They've been invited to attend. All of the neighbors of Iraq will attend, and members of the G-8, and I hope that my Chinese colleague will also attend, which then gives you the Perm 5 of the Security Council as well. And since we'll all be at the same conference, I expect that I would be talking to everybody at that conference, to include the Iranians and Syrians and others, just as I have done in the past when we had "6 + 2" meetings when we were dealing with the problems in Afghanistan.

And so we will have an opportunity to be together and talk, but we haven't arranged any particular meetings. Nothing has been set up; therefore, there is no agenda to discuss yet.

FOREIGN SECRETARY DERBEZ: (In Spanish.)

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.
(Applause.)
2004/1210