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Mexico - Relations with U.S. (Notes)

U.S.-MEXICAN RELATIONS U.S. relations with Mexico are as important and complex as with any country in the world. A stable, democratic, and economically prosperous Mexico is fundamental to U.S. interests. U.S. relations with Mexico have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans--whether the issue is trade and economic reform, homeland security, drug control, migration, or the promotion of democracy. The U.S. and Mexico are partners in NAFTA, and enjoy a rapidly developing trade relationship. In March 2005, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada formed the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), which contemplates trilateral and bilateral initiatives to develop new avenues of cooperation that will enhance North America?s security, competitiveness, and economic resilience. The scope of U.S.-Mexican relations goes far beyond diplomatic and official contacts; it entails extensive commercial, cultural, and educational ties, as demonstrated by the annual figure of nearly a million legal border crossings a day. In addition, more than a half-million American citizens live in Mexico. More than 2,600 U.S. companies have operations there, and the U.S. accounts for 55% of all foreign direct investment in Mexico. Along the 2,000-mile shared border, state and local governments interact closely. There has been frequent contact at the highest levels. Presidents? meetings have included the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders? Meeting in Bangkok in October 2003; President Bush?s visits to Monterrey in January 2004 (Summit of the Americas) and March 2002; his April 2001 visit to Guanajuato; President Fox?s state visit to the U.S. in September 2001, and his meeting with the President at Crawford, Texas in March 2004. The two Presidents also met in Crawford in March 2005 where, along with then Canadian Prime Minister Martin, they launched the Security and Prosperity Partnership. They held a follow-on SPP meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Harper in Cancun in March 2006. Since 1981, the management of the broad array of U.S.-Mexico issues has been formalized in the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission, composed of numerous U.S. cabinet members and their Mexican counterparts. The commission holds annual plenary meetings, and many subgroups meet during the course of the year to discuss border security and counter terrorism, trade and investment opportunities, financial cooperation, consular issues and migration, legal affairs and anti-narcotics cooperation, education, energy, border affairs, environment and natural resources, labor, agriculture, health, housing and urban development, transportation, and science and technology. A strong partnership with Mexico is critical to combating terrorism and controlling the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. In recent years, cooperation on counter-narcotics and Mexico?s own initiatives in fighting drug trafficking have been unprecedented. The U.S. will continue working with Mexico as it seeks to strengthen its cooperation and anti-drug efforts. The U.S. and Mexico continue to cooperate on narcotics interdiction, demand reduction, and eradication. Border and Environmental Affairs Cooperation between the United States and Mexico along the 2,000-mile common border includes state and local problem-solving mechanisms; transportation planning; and institutions to address resource, environment, and health issues. In 1993, the Border Liaison Mechanism (BLM) was established. Chaired by U.S. and Mexican consuls, the BLMs operate in 'sister city' pairs and have proven to be effective means of dealing with a variety of local issues ranging from accidental violation of sovereignty by law enforcement officials and charges of mistreatment of foreign nationals to coordination of port security and cooperation in public health matters such as tuberculosis. As the number of people and the volume of cargo crossing the U.S.-Mexico border grow, so, too, does the need for coordinated infrastructure development. The multi-agency U.S.-Mexico Binational Group on Bridges and Border Crossings meets twice yearly to improve the efficiency of existing crossings and coordinate planning for new ones. The 10 U.S. and Mexican border states have become active participants in these meetings. The United States and Mexico have a history of cooperation on environmental and natural resource issues, particularly in the border area, where there are serious environmental problems caused by rapid population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Cooperative activities between the U.S. and Mexico take place under a number of agreements such as: An 1889 convention establishing the International Boundary Commission, reconstituted by the Water Treaty of 1944 as the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico (IBWC). The IBWC has settled many difficult U.S.-Mexico boundary and water problems, including the regularization of the Rio Grande near El Paso through the 1967 Chamizal settlement. The IBWC divides the use of international waters, builds and operates water conservation and flood control projects, and constructs and maintains boundary markers on the land boundary and on international bridges. In recent years, the IBWC has worked to resolve longstanding border sanitation problems, to monitor the quantity and quality of border waters, and to address water delivery and sedimentation problems of the Colorado River. A series of agreements on border health (since 1942), wildlife and migratory birds (since 1936), national parks, forests, marine and atmospheric resources. In July of 2000, the U.S. and Mexico signed an agreement to establish a binational Border Health Commission. The Border Health Commission held its inaugural meeting in November 2000 and is made up of the federal secretaries of health, the ten border states' chief health officers, and prominent community health professionals from both countries. A representative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services manages the U.S. Section in El Paso, Texas. The 1983 La Paz Agreement to protect and improve the border environment and Border 2012, a 10-year, binational, results-oriented environmental program for the U.S.-Mexico border region. The Border 2012 Program is the latest multi-year, binational planning effort to be implemented under the La Paz Agreement and succeeds Border XXI, a five-year program that ended in 2000. The 1993 North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), creating the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation under NAFTA by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, to improve enforcement of environmental laws and to address common environmental concerns. A November 1993 agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, also related to NAFTA, establishing the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), which works with local communities to develop and certify environmental infrastructure projects such as wastewater treatment plants, drinking water systems, and solid waste disposal facilities. The sister organization, the North American Development Bank (NADBank), uses capital and grant funds contributed by partner governments to help finance border environmental infrastructure projects certified by the BECC. Prior to 2005, both institutions had separate Boards of Directors. In an effort to improve efficiency, the separate Boards were merged into a single entity and the combined Board held its first meeting in June 2006. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador--Antonio O. Garza, Jr. Deputy Chief of Mission--Leslie Bassett Minister Counselor for Political Affairs--Charles Barclay Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs--Vladimir Sambaiew Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy--James Dickmeyer Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs--David Donahue Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Karen Zens Minister Counselor for Management Affairs-- Isiah Parnell Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs--Suzanne Heinen Consul General--vacant Counselor for Labor Affairs--Kevin Richardson Counselor for Scientific and Technological Affairs--David Wagner The U.S. Embassy in Mexico is located at Paseo de la Reforma 305, 06500 Mexico, DF. U.S. mailing address: Box 3087, Laredo, Texas 78044-3087; tel. (from the U.S.): (011) (52) 555-080-2000; Internet: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/ The embassy and the 22 U.S. Consulates General, Consulates, and consular agents provide a range of services to American students, tourists, business people, and residents throughout Mexico. U.S. Consulates General, Consulates, and Officials Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez--Donna Blair Address: Avenida Lopez Mateos 924-N, 32000 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua U.S. Postal Address: Box 10545, El Paso, Texas 79995-0545 Tel. (from the U.S.): (011)(52) 656-611-3000 Consulate General, Guadalajara--Edward Ramotowski Address: Progreso 175, 44100, Guadalajara, Jalisco U.S. Postal Address: Box 9001, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0901 Tel.: (011)(52) 333-268-2100 Consulate General, Monterrey--Luis Moreno Address: Avenida Constitution 411 Poniente, 64000 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon U.S. Postal Address: Box 9002, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0902 Tel.: (011)(52) 818-345-2120 Consulate General, Tijuana--Ronald Kramer Address: Tapachula 96, 22420 Tijuana, Baja California Norte U.S. Postal Address: P.O. Box 439039, San Diego, California 92143-9039 Tel.: (011)(52) 664-681-7400 Consulate, Hermosillo--Robert Clarke Address: Calle Monterrey 141 Pte., 83260, Hermosillo, Sonora U.S. Postal Address: Box 1689, Nogales, Arizona 85628 Tel.: (011)(52) 662-2893500 Consulate, Matamoros--Cecelia Herrera-Elizondo Address: Ave. Primera 2002, 87330, Matamoros, Tamaulipas U.S. Postal Address: Box 633, Brownsville, Texas 78522-0633 Tel.: (011)(52) 868-812-4402 Consulate, Merida--Karen Martin Address: Calle 60 No 338K x 29 y 31, Colonia Alcala Martin, CP 97050, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico U.S. Postal Address: Box 9003, Brownsville, Texas 78520-0903 Tel.: (011)(52)(999) 942-5700 Consulate, Nogales--Cynthia Sharpe Address: Calle San Jose s/n, 84065, Nogales, Sonora U.S. Postal Address: P.O. Box 1729, Nogales, AZ 85628-1729 Tel.: (011)(52) 631-313-4820 Consulate, Nuevo Laredo--David Stone Address: Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin, 88260 Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas U.S. Postal Address: Box 3089, Laredo, Texas 78044-3089 Tel.: (011)(52) 867-714-0512 Consular Agents Acapulco--Alexander Richards Address: Hotel Acapulco Continental, Costera M. Aleman 121-Local 14, 39670 Acapulco, Guerrero Tel. (from the U.S.): (011)(52) 744-469-0556 Cabo San Lucas--Michael John Houston Address: Blvd. Marina, Local C-4, Plaza Nautica, Zona Centro, 23410 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Tel.: (011)(52) 624-143-3566 Cancun--Lynette Belt Address: Plaza Caracol 2, #320-323, Blvd. Kukulkan, Km. 8.5 Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancun, Quintana Roo Tel.: (011)(52) 998-883-0272 Ciudad Acuna--vacant Morelos y Ocampo #305, Col. Centro 26200 Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila Tel. (011)(52) 877-772-8661 Cozumel--Anne Harris Address: Plaza Villa Mar en El Centro, Plaza Principal, Parque Juarez (entre Melgar y 5a Av.), Piso 2, 77622 Cozumel, Quintana Roo Tel.: (011)(52) 987-872-4574 Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo--Elizabeth Williams Address: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, Ixtapa, Zihuantanejo, Gro. 40880, Mexico Courier Address: Paseo de los Hujes 236, Col. El Hujal, 40880 Zihuatanejo, Guerrero Tel.: (011)(52) 755-553-1108 Mazatlan--Patti Fletcher Address: Hotel Playa Mazatlan, Rodolfo T. Loaiza 202, Zona Dorada, 82110 Mazatlan, Sinaloa Tel.: (011)(52) 669-916-5889 Oaxaca--Mark A. Leyes Address: Macedonia Alcala 407, Int. 20, 68000 Oaxaca, Oaxaca Tel.: (011)(52) 951-514-3054 Piedras Negras--Dina O'Brien Address: Prol. General Cepeda No. 1900, Franccionamiento Privada Blanca, Piedras Negras, Coahiula, C.P. 26700 Tel. (011)(52)795-1986 Puerto Vallarta--Kelly Trainor Address: Zaragoza 160, Edificio Vallarta Plaza, Piso 2, Int. 18, 48300 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Tel.: (011)(52) 322-222-0069 Reynosa--Vera Vera Calle Monterrey #390 esq. Sinaloa, Col. Rodriguez 88630 Reynosa, Tamaulipas Tel. (011)(52)899-893-9331 San Luis Potosi--Carolyn Lazaro Address: Edificio 'Las Terrazas,' Av. Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco, 78220 San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi Tel.: (011)(52) 444-811-7802 San Miguel de Allende--Philip Maher Address: Dr. Hernandez Macias 72 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato Tel.: (011)(52) 415-152-2357 Other Contact Information American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico A.C. Lucerna 78-4 06600 Mexico D.F. Mexico Tel: (011)(52) 555-724-3800 Fax: 555-703-3908 E-Mail: amchammx@amcham.com.mx (Branch offices also in Guadalajara and Monterrey) U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Office of Latin America and the Caribbean 14th and Constitution, NW Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-0305; 202-USA-TRADE Fax: 202-482-0464 Internet: http://www.ita.doc.gov