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State Department Officials Brief on Clinton’s Trip to Mexico
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 23, 2010 BACKGROUND BRIEFING Senior Administration Officials March 23, 2010 En Route To Mexico City, Mexico SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: In this climate, where we’re dealing with the actions of these cartels or – I love the way – the nomenclature of these sorts of things for – criminal organizations. And the concern, of course, is not only the escalation of the situation in Juarez, but also signs that if we don’t accelerate, improve, strengthen our collaborative work, that the situation in Northern Mexico is serious. And so the fundamental point, however, is what I wanted to start out with. And that is that this is an indication of our strong commitment to Merida and to the renewal or to the recasting of what Merida was originally. Remember that when Merida was first put on the table, it addressed some of the concerns that the Mexicans had for increased capacity to deal with the criminal organizations, including hardware and equipment. As the conversations with the Mexicans have evolved on this issue, we have been addressing a series of other elements, including ways in which we can better cooperate among our agencies on things like intelligence-gathering and other things like that. And at the same time, see how we can contribute to the strengthening of some of the Mexican institutions that need to be strengthened in order for them to address this issue. And this means, for example, working very significantly with the federal police, but also paying some attention to how the national institutions in Mexico – the federal police and others – work more effectively with local police and local organizations, looking at the importance of the judicial system, the rule of law, and various things like that. So it’s going to be kind of an overview of the state of play between our two countries on these various dimensions. [Senior Administration Official Two] is actually going to speak so -- SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah. Let me build off of that for a second. I think it’s to understand kind of the deliverable, and the focus today is to put this into context. This is the culmination of a process that began, quite frankly, before President Obama was President. He met with one foreign leader as president-elect. That was President Calderon of Mexico. They met in January – January 12th of 2009 – in Washington. And then you had a series of visits by the officials who are traveling today to Mexico as a group, having come in over the course of time. The President obviously has been to Mexico twice to meet with President Calderon. Secretary Clinton has been to Mexico. And all along, there’s been a working process between the two governments across the whole of the United States Government and the whole of the Mexican Government to broaden the notion of what security cooperation means between our two countries. And I think one of the things you see in the group that is going from the United States Government with agencies that are – of domestic agencies, if you will – the Department of Justice, obviously, which has a role through DEA and others internationally, Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Director of National Drug Control Policy – those – what you will see here is a recognition both in fact and symbolically by the United States Government of the role that we have to play in the United States to support efforts against Mexican DTOs and their effects in the United States and in Mexico, and the need to coordinate across the whole of the Mexican Government. And as the security cooperation with Mexico gets discussed today, it’s not strictly what has traditionally been the Merida Initiative, which started with an equipment and – an equipment piece – I mean, also a training piece. But you’re also expanding out the agenda to talk about the training, the institute – fostering institutions, also a modern conception of the border, recognizing it as something that needs to be secure but also fluid to enable competitiveness so you have secure flows across these borders of people and goods. And also looking at the socioeconomic aspects of being successful against the DTOs and undermining the fertile ground that these organizations find in societies where socioeconomic development is a key piece of moving forward. So I think what you’ll see today is the culmination of a lot of work. There have been two working level, assistant secretary level meetings that led into this back last October and – October and November, first in Washington, then in Mexico City. There was a deputies-level meeting, a bilateral meeting that took place in January in Washington, D.C., all in preparation of this meeting, kind of this reaffirmation of this expanded cooperation and expanded partnership to deal with the challenges that DTOs pose to the United States and to Mexico, with an understanding, as the President has said, as all the secretaries who are traveling with us have said on a number of occasions – that for Mexico to be successful, we need to be a part of the answer. We recognize that. We need Mexico to be successful, and this is another step in the process of making sure that our efforts are coordinated across our government and throughout the Mexican Government. And that’s why you’re getting the kind of high-level interagency presence in Mexico City today, in part, a symbol of what is going on day to day between our two governments. But also it’s good to get the principals from both sides together for them to have an opportunity to make sure we’re headed in the right direction, to make sure that we’re cooperating and coordinating to the fullest extent possible bilaterally, and using all aspects of the resources available to us on both sides of the border to effectively go after DTOs that affect both sides of the border.
23 March 2010
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Article
Remarks by Secretary Clinton, Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 23, 2010 Remarks Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton And Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa After Their Meeting March 23, 2010 Mexico City, Mexico FOREIGN MINISTER ESPINOSA: (In Spanish.) SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good afternoon. And let me begin by thanking the Foreign Secretary and the Government of Mexico for hosting these very important discussions today. We have had the opportunity to delve into many areas of common concern that lie at the heart of the Merida Initiative and our shared responsibility to combat and defeat organized transnational crime. We’re looking forward to continuing this conversation in the weeks and months ahead. We will be seeing President Calderon later today because the United States strongly supports his courageous campaign against violent criminal organizations on behalf of the Mexican people. And we honor the service and sacrifice of Mexico’s men and women in uniform in the military and in the police forces. The relationship between our two nations is so comprehensive and complex and deep and broad. It is not bound by borders or bureaucratic divisions. And what we are focused on today is a part of that relationship, but a truly significant part. We are working in our two governments together to solve the problem posed by the criminal cartels that stalk the streets of your cities and ours, that kill and injure innocent people, and spread a reign of terror and intimidation, and use the trafficking of drugs to addict people, the trafficking of persons to degrade them, and who are truly an insult and a rebuke to the common values that our two nations share. It’s an honor to be joined here in Mexico by a very significant delegation from the Obama Administration. Defense Secretary Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mullen, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan, Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler, Acting Administrator of the DEA Michele Leonhart, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets in the Treasury Department Adam Szubin, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske, Ambassador Pascual, and a wide range of senior officials, all of whom are committed to this unique partnership that we are exhibiting today. Our broad engagement allows us to come at these problems from many different angles, to devise cross-cutting solutions, to ensure that our two governments are working hand-in-hand, not just at the ministerial level but all the way down our bureaucracies. We are expanding the Merida Initiative beyond what it was traditionally considered to be, because it is not just about security. Yes, that is paramount, but it is also about institution building. It is about reaching out to and including communities and civil society, and working together to spur social and economic development. We have watched with great grief the terrible tragedies and murders that have taken place here in Mexico, and then our hearts were broken by the murders in Juarez, which took the lives of three people connected to our Consulate. They were but the latest horrible reminder of how much we have to do together and how crucial these meetings are to align the work of our two countries to combat the threat of this transnational criminal syndicate of networks. And we thank all of you for your sympathy. The men and women of our mission here in Mexico have been so heartened by the support and the prayers that the people of Mexico have conveyed to them. We are working with the Government of Mexico to do everything possible to bring those killers and all killers to justice. And Madam Secretary, I want to thank you personally for your support and sympathy in the wake of that tragedy. Your visit to Juarez meant so much to our people in the Consulate there. The grim truth is that these murders are part of a much larger cycle of violence and crime that has impacted communities on both sides of the border, taking an especially grievous toll on families here in Mexico. The narcotics cartels are waging war on civil society. This violence shreds communities, it holds back economic development, and it undermines progress. So yes, we accept our share of the responsibility. As I said when I first came here a year ago, I think standing right here on this stage, the United States is your partner and your supporter. We know that the demand for drugs drives much of this illicit trade, that guns purchased in the United States – as we saw some of the examples outside – are used to facilitate violence here in Mexico. And the United States must and is doing its part to help you and us meet those challenges. Our partnership is so important because, as part of our continuing consultations, we are learning from each other. We are exploring different approaches. We are working to determine what is the best way forward. We’ve discussed new tools that we can use. But at the end of the day, it is not about discussions or meetings; it is about results. And that’s what our two presidents are focused on. They want real results that translate into greater security and improved opportunity for our citizens. So today, we agreed on a specific path forward. We are designing concrete and specific work plans, complete with tasks, timetables, and measurements in four strategic areas: disrupting the capacity of the criminal organizations, reforming and strengthening security and justice institutions, creating a 21st century border that advances citizen safety and commerce, and building stronger, more resilient communities that can resist the influence of the cartels. We also agreed to launch key initiatives, including pilot programs to combat border violence in Tijuana-San Diego, and Juarez-El Paso. We have enhanced the exchange of financial intelligence and law enforcement coordination to detect and prevent financial crimes and the financing of these cartels. And we have a bilateral work program to combat the flow of illegal weapons. Today, Secretary Napolitano signed two agreements on behalf of the United States Government to strengthen border and aviation security and to expand our cooperation against the drug cartels. All of these of these efforts build on our ongoing assistance through the Merida Initiative. We are contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to train and equip Mexican law enforcement and strengthening Mexico’s judicial system and democratic institutions. President Obama has asked Congress for $5.6 billion to reduce the demand for drugs in our own country. And we are working not only government-to-government but civil society-to-civil society and people-to-people. The meeting we held today is the product of hard work on both sides. And it’s a process launched by President Obama and President Calderon in August 2009. Secretary Espinosa and I met in New York in September 2009 to set forth this new strategic framework. Our teams have met three times since then to develop the programs we reviewed today. This new framework will continue to guide us as we move forward, and it will ensure that our efforts are balanced and effective. Mexico and the United States are connected by the busiest border in the world. We’re very proud of that. And we’re very proud of the many connections we have back and forth across that border. We’re establishing a new vision for how we manage that common border to make sure our security and our commercial interests go hand-in-hand. Our families and communities are linked by bonds of commerce and culture, by history and values, by family. And so our common aspirations that we share for a peaceful and prosperous future begin with securing the safety and security of our citizens. So again, let me thank you, Madam Secretary, for your leadership and your hospitality today. MODERATOR: (In Spanish.) QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Secretary, on behalf of the U.S. networks. I’d like to ask you a question about – both of you – about the expansion of the social economic piece. Is this a realization that the military strategy was not enough or wasn’t working? And what do you think this new emphasis on social economic aspects will do that the military was not able to do? Thank you. SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Elise, it’s actually a recognition that we want and are working toward a comprehensive strategy. Security is key. People cannot feel safe going to work or going to school or going to a party. But in order to combat the long-term effects that are posed by the drug cartels, we know we’ve got to work more on education and health. If I could get a bottle of water – is there water down there? Thank you. Excuse me. I’ve been talking too much. It’s always amazing to me that when we do anything up here besides talk, there are a million cameras. I’ll give you another chance. (Laughter.) QUESTION: She talks; she drinks. (Laughter.) SECRETARY CLINTON: We are very committed to the economic development of Mexico. And we know that the Mexican Government and the Mexican people have been working so hard growing their economy, weathering these incredible challenges of the last year and coming out the other side. And we want to make sure that when we talk about security, it’s not just security in the most obvious sense, to be safe in your home, but it’s economic security, it’s health security, it’s all of the ways that individuals have a chance to lead a productive and successful life. It’s also good for the United States. The stronger Mexico is, the more economically developed Mexico is, the more people that Mexico is seeing rise through education ranks, the better it is for all of us. So it is a commitment of ours that we think is very much a part of this overall comprehensive strategy. FOREIGN SECRETARY ESPINOSA: (In Spanish.) MODERATOR: (In Spanish.) QUESTION: (In Spanish.) SECRETARY CLINTON: We discussed the first two issues that you mentioned, in some detail. The United States had our leading officials who deal with the enforcement of our drug laws, the enforcement of our gun laws, report about what we are doing. We are very aggressively enforcing the laws against illegal guns. We know that the flow of illegal guns is a problem for our Mexican friends, and we’re doing all that we can within our laws to try to prevent, interdict, arrest, prosecute, and jail those who deal in these illegal guns. With respect to medical marijuana, the federal government continues to enforce our federal laws against the use of marijuana. And we heard a report today about how our federal government is enforcing those laws where there is any evidence that the use of the medical marijuana is not tightly controlled and contained for those people to whom it is a medical – it’s a medical substance. But we have not changed our laws and we do not see this as a major contributor to the continuing flow of marijuana, the vast, vast majority of which is used for recreational purposes. But as Secretary Espinosa said, we’re going to be doing a joint study about drug consumption. We want to make sure we understand everything that is going on in both of our countries. We also know that one of the terrible activities of the drug cartels is to try to addict people in the countries that they operate in and they transit through, and we want to try to provide whatever assistance we can to Mexico as you begin to deal with your own drug problem here. Extradition is an important part of our whole law enforcement strategy. We have obviously spoken at length with the Mexican Government about how we can cooperate in prosecutions, how we can be more effective in prosecutions. We have conducted several operations inside the United States, going after the Mexican cartel members who live and work in the United States, going after their financing sources, and we will continue to do that. And we have a very positive relationship between our law enforcement officials. And finally, we are looking at everything that can work. I mean, our goal in this intensive consultation we’re engaged in is to see what works and pursue it and what doesn’t work and improve it. Our Secretary of Defense and our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs had lengthy meetings with your military leaders, and they were very complimentary about what the military is doing. Obviously, our military has lessons to learn. Everybody does. I mean, we’ve learned a lot of lessons in the last decade. And part of what we’re trying to do in the military-to-military discussion is to share those lessons with the Mexican military because it is not what militaries train to do. And it is something that takes an adjustment in working with police authorities and municipal authorities. So I think that our observation is that we want to do everything we can to make whatever the Mexican Government decides is the best way to proceed as effective as it can be. FOREIGN SECRETARY ESPINOSA: (In Spanish.) MODERATOR: (In Spanish.) QUESTION: Madam Secretaries, I’d like to return to the issue of demand, if you will let me. I’m wondering if you could talk anything about if we have any way forward on reducing huge domestic demand. Do we know what works there? And if we don’t, how are we going to resolve this issue? And Madam Secretary, you spoke about looking at anything that works in this problem. I’m wondering, has there been any discussion of decriminalizing drug as one strategy for undercutting the power of the cartels. If you could both address that, that would be great. Thank you. SECRETARY CLINTON: No to the second. To the first, I don’t see Gil, who – where’s Gil? Oh, there you are, right in front of me, Gil. The Obama Administration’s new drug policy is going to be released very soon. And it will include specific recommendations about how to decrease demand. Gil gave us a short summary of that, and I think it’s fair to say that with the level of resources that President Obama put into the budget, it is a high priority for us. We know how hard it is. I mean, I think we’ve lived long enough to know that this is not easily done, but we’ve learned a lot of lessons and we’re going to try to apply those lessons. And we’ll – I’m sure Gil would be happy to talk with you, Andy, further about some of the specifics, except it’s embargoed, I guess, right? Yeah, it’s embargoed. So we’ll get to you, though, as soon as we’re free to tell you specifically. It was supposed to actually be released today and Gil wasn’t going to be able to come with us today. But because we got the healthcare bill through, the President decided to sign it today, so we – that was what was taking the attention in Washington. And we think this is such an important issue that it’s going to be released and highlighted very soon. MODERATOR: (In Spanish.) QUESTION: (In Spanish.) SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, human rights is a core value and is a high priority in our discussions. Every meeting we have includes an emphasis on human rights because we know, both of our governments, how important this is. And we know that in a violent situation like the one created by the drug cartels, it is necessary to work even harder to protect and promote human rights. And when you deal with people who engage in beheading, who murder children who won a football game, who are total non-respecters of life and human rights, you have to work extra hard to maintain human rights, to maintain the rule of law. We understand that. And the Mexican Government and the United States Government are deeply involved in programs that promote and protect human rights. President Obama is committed to immigration reform. In fact, he had a meeting at the White House about a week or so ago to discuss the way forward. He has said we will take it up and I am absolutely sure that the President will promote it. The Congress has to make the final decision. You saw how long it took with healthcare. The President never gave up, but it took awhile to get the Congress to go along with the important legislation. Similarly, comprehensive immigration reform is a high priority of the Obama Administration. I can’t predict what the Congress will do, but I can tell you that the President is committed to pursuing it. FOREIGN SECRETARY ESPINOSA: (In Spanish.) SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.
23 March 2010
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Clinton Heads U.S. Delegation for Talks in Mexico City
By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.Staff Writer Washington — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton leads a delegation of senior government officials for talks with Mexico March 23 on a range of security issues that includes good governance and cooperative efforts against illegal drug trafficking. “We expect a fruitful dialogue on the very, very intense cooperation that the United States has in addressing the problems that are common problems to both of our countries,” Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela said at a Washington Foreign Press Center briefing March 19. This is the second formal meeting of the Mérida U.S.-Mexico High Level Consultative Group and has been in preparation for several months; the first was held in Washington in December 2008. Clinton and Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa will lead the discussions on the Mérida Initiative, which focuses on enhanced efforts to break the power of drug trafficking cartels; strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions and respect for human rights; creating a 21st century border; and building strong communities, the State Department said in announcing the trip. Accompanying Clinton on the trip to Mexico City will be Defense Secretary Robert Gates; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair; John Brennan, a presidential adviser for homeland security and counterterrorism; Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement John Morton; acting Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler; Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control; Patrick Ward, acting deputy director of supply reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and acting Administrator Michele Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The meeting comes just weeks after an American employee of the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, was killed along with her husband, and the husband of a Mexican employee was also killed as they returned home from a social event. “The tragic events in Juarez are just a reminder of the challenges that both countries face,” Valenzuela said. “But Juarez is not the only place where there’s a serious problem. You know, there’s a problem throughout the northern part of Mexico and on through the border areas.” The Mérida Initiative was launched by then-President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderón in October 2007 as a three-year program, but it has been shifting to a continuous program between the two governments. The program focuses on combating drug trafficking, gangs and organized crime, and at delivering training and equipment to counternarcotics teams and other law enforcement officers, as well as technical assistance to help strengthen the court system, in Mexico and other partner countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Drug trafficking and criminal organizations in the region have grown in size and strength over the last decade, fueled by the northward flow of illegal drugs and the southward flow of money and weapons. U.S. officials say an enhanced initiative would bring resources and expertise from across the U.S. government and focus them on strengthening efforts to close the pipeline in both directions.
22 March 2010
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Secretary Clinton’s Trip to Mexico on March 23
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER BRIEFING WITH ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ARTURO VALENZUELA THE WASHINGTON FOREIGN PRESS CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C. TOPIC: SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON’S TRIP TO MEXICO ON MARCH 23, 2010 FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010 AT 11:00 A.M. EDT MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to the Foreign Press Center. It’s wonderful to see so many faces, some very well-known and others that I haven’t seen for a while. Welcome back. Today, we have Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Dr. Arturo Valenzuela, who is going to speak to us about the recent trips that the Secretary has done and the trips that she will be doing. So without more, Dr. Valenzuela. ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be back here with you today. The last time we met was right before the Secretary took her trip to the Southern Cone and then Central America, and I thought I would just briefly mention that and then refer to the trip that she’s going to be taking to Mexico next week. As you know, we traveled to the inauguration of President Mujica in Uruguay. This was a trip that will focus on her attending that inaugural ceremony, which was a wonderful event. It was a real celebration of the transfer of power and the republican form of government. Uruguayans know how to do this very well. It’s a very sober and a serious kind of ceremony and it’s a celebration, in some ways, of what democracy is all about – governments that exist because they have the confidence of the people and are selected by the people. In fact, Mujica, in his own address, kept saying – right at the beginning, he kept saying, “When does this business of presidente-electo stop? When do I really become the president as opposed to presidente-electo or president-elect?” I said, “Come to think of it” – he said – and this is in his address to the congress, “I kind of like this business of president-elect because it reminds us that, in fact, we’re only here because we’re elected by the people.” So that was kind of a nice sort of a reminder, and he said, “Let’s try to keep that notion there.” We had a very important bilateral meeting in Montevideo with President Lugo of Paraguay. And then because of the earthquake in Chile, we were going to do a bilateral with President Kirchner in Uruguay as well, but instead, we went to Buenos Aires. Then to Santiago, where we met with the president and then president-elect and – in the aftermath of the earthquake, and then following that, a very useful and successful trip to Brazil, where the Secretary was in Brasilia and then in Sao Paulo, and then to Costa Rica for the Pathways to Prosperity meeting. And then finally, the last stop was Guatemala, where we met with the presidents of the Central American countries. All in told, we saw 12 presidents, 12 foreign ministers, something like that, and a host of government officials, foreign ministers. The Pathways meeting, as you know, in Costa Rica is a hemispheric-wide engagement stressing the cooperation that all of our countries have on issues having to do with competitiveness but where we have placed a particular emphasis now as we’ve moved on in developing this concept of this Partnership for Prosperity on issues of social inclusion as well as things like climate change and energy and other things. It’s a whole host of items on the agenda. And in Guatemala, the very – it was an extraordinary conversation where we talked again about the challenges and opportunities that we have together with the countries of Central America, with the themes of co-responsibility. Everywhere we went, the Secretary emphasized the themes of co-responsibility. We stand ready to work with the countries, say, of Central America in this particular case, on projects that are of benefit, mutual benefit to our peoples where we come to the table with the notion that we want to share best practices, where some reforms need to be implemented, for example, among the Central American countries, particularly the issue of fiscal responsibility. It was one of the things that came up – the importance of being able to establish effective tax regimes, for example. The international community provides a significant amount of support for the Central American countries, the European Union, the Spaniards, the United States and others. But in some countries, taxation levels are extremely low, extremely low. And so this is one of the things that we talked about is how can reforms be made in such a way that you build a greater state capacity within countries so that they in turn can invest more in infrastructure and in their own people. So these were very fluid and very good conversations. I think that the trip, all in all, was very successful. We discussed the issue of Honduras with the Central American presidents and the follow-up to many of the items on our agenda. The Secretary was very pleased with the trip. Those of us who accompanied her were also extremely pleased. It just showed the degree of engagement. What surprised me and what motivated me was how, at every stop, we had such a long and broad list of items on the bilateral agendas with each one of the countries but also on multilateral agendas. Because one of the things it’s important to emphasize is how significant the process of integration is in places like Central America, and the United States supports these processes of integration because they are to the benefit of the countries in the region. This week, as you know, the Secretary has just been in Russia. She’s coming back next week. She will be traveling on the 23rd to Mexico for the meeting of the high-level contact group that will be dealing with a discussion of cooperation and collaborative work that the United States is doing, again, in the spirit of co-responsibility of the challenges that we face with Mexico. It’s a meeting that will take place in Mexico City. It – the Secretary will be accompanied by some of her counterparts from other agencies, cabinet members. And we expect a fruitful dialogue on the very, very intense cooperation that the United States has in addressing the problems that are common problems to both of our countries. Again, underlying – underscoring the issue of co-responsibility. This is a common challenge that we face. Our objective is to how can we work better to defeat the challenges that we have with, say, the drug trafficking organizations and other things like that, but also move forward to try to improve the situations of our peoples on both sides of the border. There – as you know, fundamentally four kinds of objectives in our cooperation. One of them is to disrupt drug trafficking organizations, but that’s just one aspect. The other aspect is to see how we can work together to improve our own cooperative effort in that regard, but also to see how we can cooperate on best practices to strengthen things like law enforcement institutions and the like, rule of law at the – working with Mexico, and following the advice and the initiatives that the Mexicans are taking on these issues to see how we can cooperate and collaborate on things such as law enforcement. The third, of course, issue that is very much present is how we can work on the 21st century border and that’s how we can really make this the kind of dynamic border that it already is, but to facilitate it much further to make sure that we can have the kind of border that allows for the fluid exchange of goods and people as we go on. And then finally, everything that we’re doing together is really about empowering local communities on both sides of the border in both of our countries to see how we can – and here, of course, the lead is on both sides, in our own countries, but where we can as well cooperate. And so that’s kind of the agenda. The meeting will be a one-day meeting, and then she will be – the Secretary will be returning to Washington. I’m ready to take some of your questions if you would like. I can just sort of end my comment by saying that you’ve seen significant engagement on the part of the United States and the Secretary with the Western Hemisphere. We’re very very pleased about this. It is a follow-up to the commitments that both President Obama and Secretary Clinton have made to a robust engagement with the countries of this – of the Americas. QUESTION: Thank you. Jose Riveras* with (inaudible) newspaper from Mexico. As you travel into Mexico, you will find public sentiment very high, you know, against the United States for not doing its part in drug (inaudible) registering* drug consumption, how also stopping the flow of arms into Mexico. All of the newspapers in Mexico talk about this. And one year ago, President Obama as he visited Mexico – one of the few commitments that he made, specifically to circumvent the trafficking of weapons south of the border was for him to push strongly for the ratification of CIFTA, the convention against illicit manufacturing of small arms, or something. I know that the Administration sent it to the Foreign Relations Committee, but it’s sitting there. No one has done anything. The office of Senator Kerry says, you know, basically the schedule of the Senate has not been good timing for us to push this. But where is the word of President Obama when he cannot push with this specific comment he made one year ago? ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Well, let me make sure that I can clarify the record on this. The level of engagement between our two governments on these issues that are of importance to both countries that have to do with the increase of violence and the continued inroads that criminal organizations are making, the current* drug organizations are making, is something that we’re working on together. And I had some experience myself in the relationship with Mexico, having worked on the Mexico portfolio in 1994, in the early part of the 1990s, and I’ve never seen – I never saw then and I haven’t seen today, the level and degree of cooperative work between our two governments and the degree of commitment in terms of resources and the intensity of exchange of information, common actions and so on that we have right now. And you’re right to say that elements of concern includes not only drugs coming into the United States, but also small weapons going into Mexico and things like that. And we’re committed to working strongly in that regard. I would defer to the Congress of the United States and to – you might ask as to where those – where that is at this particular point. As you know, questions – it happens also in the Mexican congress, things that go through there; the Congress is another track. And – but this is something that we are committed, as the President said, to and we’ll see whether we can get it ratified. QUESTION: I know that very well. I understand very well the division of powers in all democracies. But my question is: What he is doing this – specifically the Administration to push the ratification of CIFTA? ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Yeah. Well, what we’ve done is said that we support this – the ratification of these – this measure. It’s up to the Congress of the United States to follow through on that. And there are a lot of things that the Administration would like out of the Congress that we haven’t been able to get through. As you very well know, this is something that’s being discussed all the time. And I would refer to the fact that this is something that most countries face in terms of presidents dealing with their legislation. We’re very confident that we’re moving ahead not only – this particular convention is just one of the elements, one of the tools that we want to use in this regard. What is really more important is efforts on both sides of the border to try to manage the border, and that’s why this constant concept, for example, of trying to address the 20th century border as an important objective for what we’re trying to do. The way in which we can better track goods coming into the United States so – and into Mexico, because it’s a two-way street, is where our objectives are. QUESTION: Thank you. (Inaudible) news agency. (Inaudible) Mr. Valenzuela, one of the issues regarding the cooperation between both countries is the fact that part of the assistance to Mexico under the Merida Initiative has not been delivered so far, especially equipment. We understand that on the issue of the Black Hawk helicopters there was a date to deliver that equipment that I understand was this past January. And the question basically is if – does Secretary Clinton plan to give the Mexican Government a precise date when this equipment will be – start being delivered? ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Yes. I know that there’s been some questions raised about this particular issue in terms of the actual flow of some of the funding in the U.S. commitment in this cooperative work with Mexico. I don’t have the figures in front of me right now, but I can assure you one thing and that is the bulk of the funding that has been committed to this process has actually either been flowing into Mexico or has been flowing. The – I don’t have at the tip of my tongue specifics on particular kinds of equipment that haven’t gone. But I can reiterate that the bulk of the funding takes some time to get – particularly when you have these very large appropriations for these efforts to get programs put into place and to get certain kinds of equipment out. But I can assure that the bulk of it has been going out in the way that we expect it to do. QUESTION: (Inaudible.) ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: So I can’t answer specifically what the situation is with the Black Hawk -- QUESTION: No. I understand you, but the thing is, you know, even when you say that some of this assistance has been maybe already given to Mexico, the perception in Congress is that, you know, U.S. is not doing this, you know, fast enough. And maybe they have, you know, better information than me. So yesterday, two congressmen – one Democrat, another Republican – there were saying that so far, U.S. has failed to provide the equipment, and especially they mentioned the Black Hawk helicopters because this is an integral part of Merida initiative. ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Let me just reiterate what I said before. That is the bulk of the assistance has been flowing. MODERATOR: Back here. QUESTION: Hi, I’m Andrea Murta from Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper. I was wondering if, Secretary, you approached the issue of trade situation with Mexico and the retaliations that have been imposed against the U.S. And on the topic also, if you could give us any indication of when Brazil can expect a proposal from the United States regarding the retaliation against the U.S. for the cotton dispute. ASSISTANT SECRETERY VALENZUELA: Right. I can just simply say this: that with regard to these trade disputes, and there are trade disputes in any relationship that we have with other countries, there are all kinds of issues that are on the table, including trade disputes. And as we well know, that there are trade disputes having to do with various different elements. And with Mexico, and there is also this recent trade dispute. It is our desire, expectation that we will work together to try to resolve these. I don’t have any particular timing, but it is our expectation we will try to work together to try to get a resolution to these issues. It’s a very important element in our foreign policy objectives to come to a resolution of these problems. They’re often not easy to deal with, but that’s our commitment. QUESTION: But in this – going to talk about this issue as well. Is that a plan? ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: You know, it’s – often in these meetings, you have various different sorts of things come up. And the focus of this particular meeting, by the very nature of the participants and so on, is really much more on the security issues that we’re working on with Mexico. But these kinds of things, the President – the Secretary will be meeting with the President at one point, and these are elements that I’m sure will come up in some of the discussions. MODERATOR: Yes. Dolia. QUESTION: Doila Estevez with Poder Magazine and MVSR Radio Noticas. I have a couple of quick questions on the meeting next Tuesday. And the press release announcing the delegation mentioned that among the subjects that will be addressed is strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions, and respect for human rights. On the issue of human rights, do you expect to address the alarming situation journalists are going through in Mexico? This year alone, there’s been four journalists slain and five more disappeared last week in Reynosa. So it’s within the issue of human rights, and your report last week addressed this. So I was wondering if it’s going to come up during the meeting, the discussions between these two delegations led by Hillary Clinton. And the other quick thing is, can we expect deliverables or an announcement or a joint communiqué on Tuesday? ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: With regard to your last question, I don’t think there is a plan for a joint communiqué. Is there a plan? Yes, I guess there is a plan for a joint communiqué. I have it directly from the people who are working – doing the work on joint communiqués. I haven’t seen drafts of it yet. The – with regard to – yeah, as you suggested, in our dialogue, because this is a dialogue and – where we’re working together on a whole host of things, and this is – and it’s quite – this is something that the Mexican Government is very conscious of, the importance of trying to strengthen its institutions of law enforcement and of governance, with due respect to the matter of human rights. And that is a significant problem. These criminal organizations are going after journalists and others, and they want to try to hide, which is happening. And so this is a very serious problem. And I’m sure it’s one of the things that will be discussed. But let me emphasize as I say this that we’re fully conscious that these are challenges that both of our countries face. Let me stress that again. This is an issue where we take seriously these conversations and our dialogue and our collaborative effort with Mexico because we want to do it with utmost respect to Mexican sensibilities, to Mexican sovereignty, to the fact that we are partners but we are two distinct nations, and we’re two distinct nations by destiny. We’re tied together on a whole host – and through our peoples we’re tired together through a whole host of reasons. The border is one of the most dynamic things in the world and I had been the privilege of visiting that. So this is an engagement that is done, mindful of the actual critical importance of such things as preserving human rights, but done in a spirit of respect, mutual respect and dialogue, so that this is not a situation where we’re going down and expressing our own views on these things. This is something that we’re – that stems from a genuine dialogue, a dialogue of mutual respect. QUESTION: Thank you. *Silga Yusef* from the German Press Agency. Have two – also two quick questions regarding the meeting. Is the killings last weekend on Ciudad Juarez going to change something on the plan? This has – this is a meeting had been planned for months. But has this altered in some way the meeting or the discussions? And the second question, which is a different area, is next week, we are approaching the OAS elections, and the U.S. has said nothing yet. I was wondering if there was – there is going to be a statement or if the US. Is going to say something about who it’s supporting regarding the elections? Thank you. ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: Thanks for your questions. The tragic events in Juarez are just a reminder of the challenges that both countries face. And – but this meeting was planned a long time ago. It – these are matters that will be, I’m – surely discussed as the situation in Juarez is a very serious one. But Juarez is not the only place where there is a serious problem. There’s a problem throughout the northern part of Mexico and on the – through the border areas, so that this is a – this will be something that will come up. As you are aware, the Ambassador did go to Juarez, Ambassador Carlos Pasqual, as did the president and the foreign minister. So this is something – we grieve the loss of life of people associated with our consulate in Juarez. Consulates, however, in all of Northern – in all of Mexico are now reopened for business. And we’re continuing to work. It’s very important for us to continue to make possible, as best we can, the kind of normal flow of the relationships between our two countries because of the intensity of that relationship. With regard to the OAS, there’s an election coming up. We’re evaluating our position on that. But I imagine that we will come out with some kind of a declaration, or some kind of a statement, maybe not a statement – a position soon. I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to take place. We’re still working on that. MODERATOR: And we have time for one last question. Yes. Please. QUESTION: Thank you. I’m Carlos* Lopez, CNN en Espanol. Mr. Valenzuela, first, the meeting was originally programmed for (inaudible). Now it’s in Mexico City. Can you tell us why? And second, recent statements by Secretary Napolitano in a TV interview, where she said that the Mexican army presence hadn’t helped reduce violence on the Mexican side, caused an uproar in Mexico. They were rejected by (inaudible) Nacion. Is this going to be part of the conversation? Is this considered to be over, or – please talk about that. ASSISTANT SECRETARY VALENZUELA: The shift of the meeting to Mexico City was a shift that I think that we responded in some ways to logistical issues. It was better to be able to have a meeting directly there because of timing factors and things like that. So I wouldn’t make too much of the shift, but it’s obviously easier to do a meeting of that kind in Mexico City. The – with regard to the statements, they’ve been mischaracterized or misinterpreted, because what our position on that is that, of course, there is an important role for all of these organizations whether it’s the military, whether it’s the federal police, whether it’s with other organizations in this effort. And what is critical is what both – what the Mexican Government itself has argued. And that this is an integrated -- it has to be an integrated response. It’s an integrated response. It is not only one that depends on the armed forces, but it also depends on the federal police; it depends on local authorities and other things like that. And that’s what it was to do – the intention of the remark was to, essentially, to point to what – essentially, the policy of the Mexican Government with which the United States concurs. And that is, that in fact, there has to be a broad, integrated approach to addressing the problems of criminal organizations and drug violence in Mexico and the United States. MODERATOR: All right. Assistant Valenzuela, thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming here today.
19 March 2010
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Article
Mexican President Calderon’s Visit to White House
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 18, 2010 Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Calderon of Mexico to the White House The United States and Mexico are linked by geography, history, familial, cultural, economic, and security ties. In recognition of these deep ties and the strong relationship President Obama has forged with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, President Obama and the First Lady will host President Calderon and Mrs. Margarita Zavala de Calderon in the White House for a State Dinner on Wednesday, May 19, 2010. The dinner will take place in the context of an Official Visit by President Calderon, during which the President will have the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with President Calderon, including economic competitiveness, our growing security cooperation, clean energy opportunities, and immigration, among other key issues. President Obama looks forward to welcoming President Calderon to Washington and continuing their work in forging stronger ties between our two countries for the benefit of all people living on both sides of our shared border.
18 March 2010
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Article
President Obama on Immigration Reform
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 18, 2010 Statement by the President Praising the Bipartisan Immigration Reform Framework In June, I met with members of both parties, and assigned Secretary Napolitano to work with them and key constituencies around the country to craft a comprehensive approach that will finally fix our broken immigration system. I am pleased to see that Senators Schumer and Graham have produced a promising, bipartisan framework which can and should be the basis for moving forward. It thoughtfully addresses the need to shore up our borders, and demands accountability from both workers who are here illegally and employers who game the system. My Administration will be consulting further with the Senators on the details of their proposal, but a critical next step will be to translate their framework into a legislative proposal, and for Congress to act at the earliest possible opportunity. I congratulate Senators Schumer and Graham for their leadership, and pledge to do everything in my power to forge a bipartisan consensus this year on this important issue so we can continue to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform.
18 March 2010
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Article
Secretary Clinton to Lead Delegation to Mexico
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 17, 2010 STATEMENT BY PHILIP J. CROWLEY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS Secretary Clinton Leads Cabinet-Level Delegation to Mexico Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Mexico City, Mexico for the Merida U.S.-Mexico High Level Consultative Group meeting on March 23, 2010. The Secretary will be joined by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; Secretary of Homeland Security Janet A. Napolitano; Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair; Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John O. Brennan; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael G. Mullen; Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security John Morton; Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler; Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Director Adam Szubin; Office of National Drug Control Policy Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Supply Reduction Patrick Ward; and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. This is the second formal meeting of the High Level Consultative Group and has been in preparation for several months; the first was held in Washington in December 2008. Secretary Clinton and Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa will chair an interagency discussion on the evolution of the Merida Initiative that focuses on enhanced engagement in support of our shared goals of breaking the power of drug trafficking organizations; strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions and respect for human rights; creating a 21st century border; and building strong and resilient communities.
17 March 2010
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Announcement on International Donors’ Conference for Haiti
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 16, 2010 MEDIA NOTE International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti The United States, in cooperation with the Government of Haiti, will join the United Nations in co-hosting a ministerial-level International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti on March 31, 2010 in New York at UN Headquarters. After the outpouring of global support for the immediate needs of the people and Government of Haiti following the devastating earthquake on January 12, attention is now turning to the longer-term recovery and reconstruction needs of the country, even while the relief effort continues. The International Donors’ Conference will be an opportunity for the international community to pledge new financial assistance to help Haiti rebuild, and to mobilize a truly global and sustained international effort to partner with Haiti. The Conference will focus on pledges of assistance for recovery and development, as distinct from the humanitarian assistance so generously provided by over 140 donors so far. Priorities for assistance will be set by the Government of Haiti, which will present its strategy for recovery based on input from a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment led by the Government with the joint support of the United Nations, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, European Commission, and major donors. This Donors’ Conference is just one step in mobilizing the broad international support that the government and people of Haiti must have in order to realize their vision of a stronger, vibrant Haiti emerging from this tragedy. We are proud to contribute to a broad-based effort that will integrate public and private international assistance with the contributions of a vigorous Haitian private sector, active engagement of non-governmental organizations, and widespread civic engagement. Preparation for the International Donors’ Conference thus includes broad-based consultations with key constituencies, including Haitian civil society, the Haitian Diaspora, the private sector, Haitian state and local government, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders in the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Representatives from these consultations will report back to the plenary of the International Donors’ Conference. The United States is pleased to be partnering with the United Nations in this effort in the interests of mobilizing a truly global response on behalf of Haiti. CONFERENCE DETAILS The International Donors’ Conference will be co-hosted by the United States and United Nations, in cooperation with the Government of Haiti. The Conference will be co-chaired by Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, and Spain as leading donors to Haiti. The Conference will be held at UN Headquarters in New York on March 31, 2010. Delegations are encouraged to be represented at the ministerial level and will be invited to make brief statements summarizing their new pledges of recovery and reconstruction assistance. The Conference will be webcast live with select sessions open to other media. Further details for delegations will be forthcoming in correspondence from the United Nations Office of Conference Services and will also be available through the UN Journal Participants will be asked to pre-register for the Conference through the Conference website. Detailed information on how to register, along with technical details on pledge content and how to register pledges, will be forthcoming from UNDP. Please note that this event is an opportunity for UN member states to register national pledges of assistance to Haiti. Private sector donors and others will have alternative opportunities to register their offers of assistance. Unfortunately, capacity considerations must limit the opportunity to pledge assistance during the event on March 31 to UN member states, international organizations, and representatives selected to report from the outreach consultations. . PREPARATORY PROCESS Conference preparations include a series of outreach consultations with Haitian civil society (over the preceding weeks, organized by the United Nation’s Office of the UN Special Envoy to Haiti, MINUSTAH, NGO’s, and local community groups), the private sector (March 15, in Haiti, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank), the Haitian Diaspora (March 21-23, in Washington, D.C., organized by the Organization of American States), Haitian state and local government (March 23, in Martinique, organized by the Government of France), stakeholders to MINUSTAH (March 23, in New York, organized by the Government of Brazil and the Government of Haiti), and non-governmental organizations (March 25, in New York, organized by the Office of the UN Special Envoy to Haiti, InterAction, and the European Commission). The Conference will also be preceded by a closed Preparatory Technical Meeting on March 15-17 in Santo Domingo, co-hosted by the Government of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. For media inquiries, please contact: Carolyn Vadino Deputy Spokeswoman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations 212-415-4301
16 March 2010
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U.S., Haiti Experts Plan to Rebuild Medical Education System
Patients wait to receive medical attention at a hospital in Port-au-Prince March 9.By Cheryl PellerinScience Writer Washington ― More than 60 officials and medical-education experts from Haiti and the United States met in Washington March 15 to plan a strategy for shoring up Haiti’s devastated medical-education system and over time rebuilding the system to 21st-century standards. Among the more than 250,000 who died as a result of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck near Port-au-Prince January 12 were 73 doctors, nurses and other health care providers. Thirty of Haiti’s 62 hospitals were severely damaged and more than 500 medical students are unable to finish their studies. Haiti’s most urgent needs, said Dr. Gabriel Thimothe, director-general of Haiti’s Ministry of Health, include temporary or prefabricated buildings, training for emergency physicians, help getting medical students back in school, and psychological support for some of Haiti’s most beleaguered citizens. “One challenge we are facing now,” Thimothe said, is “to provide psychological support to more than 4,000 people [with mental disorders]. Mental health was not a priority for the Ministry of Health but now it’s a critical issue to be addressed.” For the nearly 10 million people in Haiti, he added, there are two doctors per 10,000 people and only 1.8 nurses. Fewer than 300 newly trained doctors per year graduate from medical school, and many leave to practice medicine in countries where salaries are higher. Part of what is needed in Haiti, said Dr. Rubens Pamies, a meeting co-chair and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is to rebuild educational and treatment facilities with the technical backbone to accommodate 21st-century treatment and education, including telemedicine. COMMITMENT TO REBUILD The meeting, hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health, arose from discussions with physicians in the Haitian diaspora about the devastation to Haiti’s medical-education system and the great loss of life among its doctors, nurses and medical and nursing students. Attendees included U.S. and Haitian government officials ― including Raymond Joseph, Haitian ambassador to the United States, and Laura Petrou, chief of staff in the office of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ― medical education and training leaders, physicians from U.S. academic health centers and historically black colleges and universities, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations. Bringing greetings from Secretary Sebelius, Petrou added, “Since the earthquake President Obama asked us to pool our resources to do everything we could to be helpful. Hosting this meeting is just one small thing we’d like to do to give you the opportunity to talk together and try to address these problems.” During the meeting, the experts shared recent experiences and explored short- and long-term needs and strategies for rebuilding Haiti’s medical education and training system, including acute and urgent needs, undergraduate and graduate medical education, infrastructure building, long-term needs and future collaborations. The experts also began work on a system that will help coordinate the broad range of international help on the ground in Haiti. “We all appreciate very much the need to transition to recovery and to building a long-term, very sustainable infrastructure for health and health care in Haiti,” said Dr. Nicole Lurie, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response. “Certainly medical education and health professions education is a huge part of that, and the losses to the medical education system in Haiti make that even more important.” NEXT STEPS At the end of the day-long meeting, said Dr. Garth Graham, HHS deputy assistant secretary for minority health, the experts agreed on a collaborative approach to rebuilding across schools of medicine, public health and allied health professions such as nursing and pharmacy. The group also agreed on the need to engage other nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations for resource support. “At the end of the meeting, participants agreed to form steering work groups for undergraduate education, graduate education and systems and infrastructure building,” Graham said. “These three work groups will continue to develop and refine plans and strategies.” A key outcome, he added, was an agreement to work collaboratively to implement strategies formulated during the meeting. “We have to move forward despite this tragedy,” Thimothe told the attendees. “What I hope is that we can work with all of you around the table, all the universities and agencies that have an effective and quick response to needs which are very critical in Haiti. With this strong partnership, this commitment, we can move forward in Haiti.” More information about the Haiti earthquake and disaster response is available through the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Haiti page and the Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #44 (PDF, 56KB).
16 March 2010
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Secretary Clinton on Murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 14, 2010 STATEMENT BY SECRETARY CLINTON The Murders in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Today the men and women of the Department of State are mourning the murder of three people connected to the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. One American employee of the consulate was killed along with her husband, and the husband of a Mexican employee was also killed. I offer my deepest sympathies to the family, loved ones and colleagues of these victims. The safety and security of our personnel and their families in Mexico and at posts around the world is always our highest priority. I have spoken with our Ambassador in Mexico and we are working with the Government of Mexico to do everything necessary to protect our people and to ensure that the perpetrators of these horrendous acts are brought to justice. These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are, sadly, part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico. They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of President Calderón to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico. This is a responsibility we must shoulder together, particularly in border communities where strong bonds of history, culture, and common interest bind the Mexican and the American people closely together.
15 March 2010
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Secretary Clinton on Murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 14, 2010 STATEMENT BY SECRETARY CLINTON The Murders in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Today the men and women of the Department of State are mourning the murder of three people connected to the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. One American employee of the consulate was killed along with her husband, and the husband of a Mexican employee was also killed. I offer my deepest sympathies to the family, loved ones and colleagues of these victims. The safety and security of our personnel and their families in Mexico and at posts around the world is always our highest priority. I have spoken with our Ambassador in Mexico and we are working with the Government of Mexico to do everything necessary to protect our people and to ensure that the perpetrators of these horrendous acts are brought to justice. These appalling assaults on members of our own State Department family are, sadly, part of a growing tragedy besetting many communities in Mexico. They underscore the imperative of our continued commitment to work closely with the Government of President Calderón to cripple the influence of trafficking organizations at work in Mexico. This is a responsibility we must shoulder together, particularly in border communities where strong bonds of history, culture, and common interest bind the Mexican and the American people closely together.
15 March 2010
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White House on Murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 14, 2010 Statement by National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer on the murders in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico The President is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, including a U.S. citizen employee, her U.S. citizen husband, and the husband of a Mexican citizen employee. He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions. In concert with Mexican authorities, we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to justice. The President shares in the outrage of the Mexican people at the murders of thousands in Ciudad Juárez and elsewhere in Mexico. We will continue to work with Mexican President Felipe Calderón and his government to break the power of the drug trafficking organizations that operate in Mexico and far too often target and kill the innocent. This is a responsibility we must shoulder together, particularly in border communities where strong bonds of history, culture, and common interest bind the Mexican and the American people closely together.
14 March 2010