[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WELCOME TO PRESIDENT ZEDILLO

  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, today the new President of Mexico, 
Ernesto Zedillo, is in town meeting with our President and the 
bipartisan congressional leadership. Mr. Speaker, Mexico is a good 
friend, and it has had some tough times, and it is important that we 
show support to the new government and the new President of Mexico.
  Last week the President of Mexico paid back $700 million of Mexico's 
debt ahead of schedule. As a good neighbor should, the United States 
helped Mexico out of a severe financial crisis with a loan of $20 
billion. Among our top priority goals in United States-Mexico relations 
are to disrupt and defeat the narcotrafficking that so negatively 
affects both of our countries and to build the American economy by 
helping United States business do business with Mexico.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to welcome the new President of Mexico, 
to say that we are friends, that we back each other, that we need each 
other, that the problems of immigration and drugs and many 
other foreign policy issues and our economic ties are strong and should 
become stronger.

  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter to me from Ambassador 
James R. Jones, as follows:

         Embassy of the United States of America, Mexico,
                                                  October 3, 1995.
     Hon. Bill Richardson,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Richardson: Bill, I have written many ``Dear 
     Colleague'' letters during my seven terms in Congress. This 
     is the first time I have written you as U.S. Ambassador to 
     Mexico. The occasion is the State Visit to Washington next 
     week of Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. I want to give you 
     my assessment of our bilateral relationship and the status of 
     Mexico's economic and political condition and prospects for 
     the future.
       Overall, U.S.-Mexico relations are the most mature, 
     positive and cooperative I have seen since first visiting 
     Mexico as a young White House Assistant nearly thirty years 
     ago.
       Among our top priority goals here at the U.S. Embassy in 
     Mexico, two principal objectives are to disrupt and defeat 
     the narcotrafficking that so negatively affects both of our 
     countries and to build the American economy by helping U.S. 
     business do business with Mexico.
       Mexico and the United States are cooperating more closely 
     and effectively than ever in the fight against domestic and 
     foreign drug cartels who hope to use Mexico as a shipping 
     point to America. President Zedillo has told me each time we 
     have met how seriously he views the threat of organized crime 
     to Mexico's sovereignty and its economic well-being. He has 
     ordered closer cooperation of Mexican law enforcement 
     agencies with ours and we are seeing results. A major 
     narcotics trafficker and several cartel lieutenants have been 
     arrested. Together with Mexican authorities we have developed 
     more effective measures to detect and intercept drug 
     shipments. So far this year, more than 400,000 metric tons of 
     cocaine, heroin, marijuana and dangerous drugs have been 
     seized in transit. We have a long way to go to stop the flow 
     of drugs to the United States, but we are moving in the right 
     direction.
       Progress continues also in developing commercial 
     opportunities for U.S. business with Mexico in ways that 
     benefit both countries. The North American Free Trade 
     Agreement (NAFTA) is working. Last year, Mexico surpassed 
     Japan as our second largest trading partner before the 
     currency crisis hit in December causing Mexico's most severe 
     recession in decades. Today, even in the midst of this 
     economic crisis, U.S. exports to Mexico are seven percent 
     higher than before NAFTA took effect. And today our exports 
     to Mexico support more than 700,000 U.S. jobs.
       In addition, the economic recovery program in Mexico is 
     also working. Absent a most unexpected event, I believe that 
     the macroeconomic recovery will begin by the end of this year 
     and recovery of the real economy by the middle of next year. 
     This is important to us for two reasons: first, Mexicans buy 
     overwhelmingly from the U.S. About 70 percent of their 
     imports come from us. When Mexican consumers increase their 
     purchasing power, it will expand our market opportunities 
     which enhance jobs in the U.S. Second, creating economic 
     opportunities in Mexico itself is without doubt the most 
     effective way to control illegal immigration. Therefore, 
     increasing commerce helps us both.
       The Mexican Government has held steadfast to free market 
     economic reforms and sound fiscal and monetary policies. The 
     loan assistance package which the United States arranged to 
     help Mexico avoid a default which could have triggered a 
     global recession was not foreign aid. This loan has already 
     earned our government $479 million in interest and there are 
     indications that Mexico will be able to pay the principal 
     ahead of schedule.
       Mexico is experiencing its greatest political, legal and 
     democratic reforms in history. Election law changes last year 
     have resulted in generally recognized fair elections and have 
     given strength to opposition political parties. The Mexican 
     Congress has gained vast new powers. The Supreme Court has 
     been reformed. Some critics have viewed these developments as 
     a sign of weakness in the Presidency and of potential 
     instability. I believe just the opposite. It takes more 
     strength to advance democracy than it does to retain 
     authoritarian rule. We strongly support these democratic 
     reforms and believe they improve stability in these difficult 
     times.
       This is a period of dramatic transition in Mexico as well 
     as with our bilateral relations. The direction of this change 
     is very positive. The values being promoted in Mexico such as 
     a free market economy, open democratic systems, cleaning out 
     corruption and strengthening law enforcement are values we 
     share.
       We also share a 2,000 mile border with this nation of 92 
     million people. We must make our relationship work to provide 
     new opportunities for both countries. I will welcome your 
     ideas.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                   James R. Jones,
     Ambassador.

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