March 14, 2007

10:04 A.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT CALDERÓN: (As translated.) Good morning, Mr. President, dear friends from the media. I thank you for being here in this press conference. I would like to thank very sincerely President George Bush for visiting our country and for dedicating almost three days to his visit in Mexico.

I'm very pleased to inform you that President George Bush and myself, we're fully satisfied for how fruitful this meeting has been for both countries. As leaders of sovereign nations, we have talked in a respectful environment and a cordial environment about very diverse and complex issues of our bilateral agenda. We coincided in sharing our core responsibility, which now, more than ever, happened to be a shared responsibility. We reiterate our commitment with democracy, with the defense and respect of human rights, the promotion of free trade, with the rule of law, security, sustainable development and, in particular, our fight against poverty.

From this platform of understanding, we have covered in detail each of the issues of our bilateral agenda. I would like to express my gratitude to President Bush that we have talked so openly, with the sincerity and respect of both countries that are not only neighbors, but they are pursuing to do what true friends should do.

We have talked, for example, about the strengthening of a task force that will be directed to the transition of full trade of sensitive products such as corn and beans. We talked about the need to cover the phenomenon of migration as a factor of prosperity for both nations, orderly migration process. We acknowledged the effort that President Bush and his administration is doing in order to promote within the Congress a comprehensive migratory reform that will acknowledge the rights of the migrants and workers, that would allow orderly and legal programs for temporary jobs, and would allow the reunification of family ties.

We have expressed our concern for protecting and guaranteeing human rights of those who cross the border and, above all, about the enormous relevance of generating in Mexico opportunities that the citizens need for their development.

We shared the need of having a safe border that will close the gates to drugs, arms and terrorism, and that will open its doors to trade -- prosperity and trade. Our border should be a tightening and closing point. The border should bring us together and not separate us. For this, we are considering the possibility of establishing new cross-points and border bridges that will speed up the transit of goods and people. Both Presidents have agreed to coordinate in a better way our actions in order to confront organized crime in both sides of the border.

Mexico and the United States are nations that are joined together in the pursuit for better levels of well-being for its people. We do have the means, and in this meeting, we have seen the political will in order to reach shared goals. I'm fully convinced, then, from this visit on, we will be able to start a new stage of the relationships that take place between Mexico and the United States.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Señor Presidente, gracias. Buenos días. Laura and I have had a fascinating trip, and our final stop was a really good one. Glad to be back in Mexico. This is an especially beautiful part of your wonderful country. The hospitality was very generous -- and the meals were quite good. (Laughter.) Estoy lleno. (Laughter.)

Over the past two days, the President and I have had a very -- a series of friendly and very productive meetings. That's what the people of our respective countries expect. They expect people to work out differences in a constructive way. They expect leaders to seize opportunities for the benefit of our respective peoples. And the spirit is very strong to work together.

I appreciate so very much the fact that during our meetings we reaffirmed the values of democracy and transparency and rule of law that guide both our countries. We discussed ways to make our nation safer, both nations safer, and both nations prosperous.

President Calderón is taking a tough stand against organized crime and drugs, and I appreciate that. I made it very clear to the President that I recognize the United States has a responsibility in the fight against drugs. And one major responsibility is to encourage people to use less drugs. When there is demand, there is supply. And to the extent, Mr. President, that we can continue to make progress to reduce drugs, it will take pressure off of Mexico. So we have a responsibility.

Mexico has a responsibility, as well, and the President is working hard on that responsibility. And we agreed to work together. Mexico is, obviously, a sovereign nation, and the President, if he so chooses, like he has, will lay out an agenda where the United States can be a constructive partner.

And the other place where we can work together is in the region. And so the President, who is a very strong leader in Central America, for example, will work with the United States and the Central American countries to develop a regional plan, because it could be successful in Mexico, and yet the problem could be transferred to the South, in which case we wouldn't have the security we would want.

So, Mr. President, thank you for your leadership on this issue. I'm looking forward to working with you on it.

We talked about the economy. My view is, is that when Mexico grows, the United States benefits. And obviously, to the extent, Mr. President, you're able to put forth your innovative policies, we applaud your efforts. I appreciate so very much some of the innovative ideas that you're putting forward. As I said last night in the dinner, I appreciate very much the fact that you're focusing development in the south of your country.

Obviously, there was a lot of discussion about trade. People in my country are concerned about trade; people in Mexico are concerned about trade. There are strong protectionist sentiments in the United States. I will work, Mr. President, to reject those protectionist sentiments, because I believe trade is one of the best avenues to help common prosperity. Now, anytime we have trade relations, there will be complications. And I pledged to the President that we would work together to ensure a smooth transition to full trade in dealing with sensitive issues such as corn and beans.

Education is an important issue that is -- for our two countries. And I appreciate your commitment to strong education. The United States can help. I'm a big believer in student exchanges between our two nations, on both sides of the border. And one reason I am is because I think it's important sometimes for people to gain an accurate perception of my country by coming to my country. I love the fact that students travel back and forth.

Mr. President, this morning I met with some students, that are funded through USAID programs, who have come to the United States to take different courses in different subjects, and then have come back to Mexico to lend the expertise that they have gained to improve the communities in which they live. This is a vital program that the United States must continue, in my judgment, in order to help people realize the great benefits of education.

We spent a lot of time on the important and sensitive issue of migration. I say, sensitive, because obviously this is an issue that people can use to inflame passions. I say, important, because a good migration law will help both economies and will help the security of both countries. And the reason I say that is that if people can come into our country, for example, on a temporary basis to work, doing jobs Americans aren't doing, they won't have to sneak across the border.

And by the way, a system that encourages people to sneak across the border is a system that leads to human rights abuses. It's a system that promotes coyotes and document forgers. It's a system that allows for the exploitation of citizens who are trying to earn a living for their families.

And so, Mr. President, as we discussed, I will work with Congress, members of both political parties, to pass immigration law that will enable us to respect the rule of law and, at the same time, respect humanity in a way that upholds the values of the United States of America.

I appreciate your hospitality. It's been a very warm greeting, Mr. President. I thank you and your good wife for being so kind to Laura and me. I look forward to future conversations. Muchas gracias.

PRESIDENT CALDERÓN: We will have a Q&A session now, starting with the Mexican press.

Q Good morning, President of the United States of America, President of the United Mexico States. Your visit is coming to an end now. This is a question for President George Bush. At the end of your visit, sir, have you found allies in order to place a counterweight to the initiatives of Hugo Chavez? What commitments did President Calder n take on in order to be a counterweight to these initiatives of Hugo Chavez, on the one hand?

And on the other hand, President Calderón, Foreign Minister Patricia has said that you are working in order to strengthen the relationship with Venezuela. How is this compatible with the commitments that you're taking on with President Bush in order to give thrust to this counterweight in Latin America?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you for the question. We spent a lot of time talking about Mexico's role in the world. Mexico is a respected nation. President Calderón is a respected leader. But our conversations focused on democracy and rule of law, and prosperity and how to improve the lives of our fellow citizens. We spent time talking about social justice and concern for the poor.

One of the reasons I've come down here again is to remind people in this important part of the world that the United States cares deeply about the human condition; that we spent $1.6 billion of bilateral aid last year, most of the money going to social justice programs. And that doesn't include programs like the one I saw in the highlands of Guatemala, where our military was providing basic health care for citizens.

So, Mr. President and I spent time talking about how to advance a hopeful agenda, one that will lift the spirits of people. And I respect the role Mexico plays. Mexico will lead diplomatic efforts for the common security and common prosperity, and that's an important role.

PRESIDENT CALDERÓN: The commitment and purpose of my government is to have constructive, positive and sound relations with all countries of the world, and of course, with the countries of Latin America, without exception. And certainly the most important relationship with Mexico abroad is the one that we have with the United States, due to the migration that exists, the flows through the borders and all else that you are well aware of.

However, Mexico is respectful of the opinions of other leaders. We are respectful of the heads of state of other countries, such as Venezuela, and certainly the United States. We are a government that has principles and values, values such as democracy, freedom, liberty and legality and, certainly, security and safety.

On the other hand, not as a strategy -- this was not something that we focused on as a strategy in our talks, but as a conviction of our government. Mexico has to play a role which is balanced, weighed, and it has to be a leader in Latin America, in agreement with its culture, its history, its economy, its people.
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