    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [June 21, 1993]
    [Pages 912-913]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Meeting of the United States-Mexico Binational
    Commission
    June 21, 1993

        Today the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission is holding its 10th
    meeting at the State Department. I want to extend a very warm welcome to
    the members of the Cabinet of President Salinas and to say a few words
    about our warm friendship with Mexico.
        There is no closer partnership between two nations than that which
    we have with our neighbor Mexico. We share strong ties of history. Our
    cultures are richly interwoven. Our people share strong bonds of kinship
    and fellowship. And the peaceful cooperation of the communities along
    our 2,000-mile border is important to both of our peoples.
        An important sign of our close relations is the Binational
    Commission itself, which provides a forum for our Cabinets to meet
    annually to work on issues ranging from the environment to education to
    telecommunications.
        Another sign of our partnership is our increasingly close
    cooperation in world affairs and our commitment to the success of
    democracy in this hemisphere. We worked together to help end the war in
    El Salvador. Mexico has contributed to the International Civilian
    Mission of Human Rights Observers in Haiti. Mexico's leadership in the
    OAS was critical to the successful collective defense of democracy in
    Guatemala. And President Salinas speaks with a special authority as one
    of the world's leading economic reformers when he calls for progress in
    the Uruguay round to expand world trade.
        Mexico and we agree that the movement toward open markets and free
    trade in Latin America is vital and for the long-term success and
    strengthening of democracy and human rights in this hemisphere. The
    countries of Latin America have already made great strides. The
    emergence of democratically elected governments in the region has
    permitted Latin America to modernize and develop. The Latin countries
    have made enormous progress restructuring

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    and opening their economies, controlling inflation, and increasing the
    competitiveness of their productive sectors. In the last 2 years, for
    the first time in a decade, Latin America has had real growth in per
    capita income.
        Free trade agreements have contributed to the progress in regional
    integration. Democratic governments have achieved peace, strengthened
    freedoms, and accelerated the pace of integration. With the support of
    the OAS and the U.N., internal conflicts in Nicaragua and El Salvador
    have ended and hopefully will soon end in Guatemala. The OAS routinely
    observes the freedom of elections across the region. Subregional free
    trade agreements have emerged throughout the hemisphere. These are
    points that were recently well articulated by Foreign Minister Solana at
    the OAS and that we enthusiastically embrace.
        Increasingly today, the line has blurred between domestic and
    foreign policies. What we seek to do abroad directly affects us at home.
    No relationship illustrates better the strong linkage between foreign
    and domestic policies than our relationship with Mexico. The
    interdependence of our societies and people are stronger than ever and
    continues to grow. Our domestic policies affect the lives and prosperity
    of Mexicans in the same way that the domestic policies of Mexico
    profoundly affect us. You need only to look at the scope and complexity
    of today's BNC agenda to understand how important Mexico and the U.S.
    are to each other. We will work to deepen and expand our partnership
    even further.
        One of the most productive areas in which we must work closely
    together is on the trade between our nations, which has doubled in the
    past 5 years. That trade is vital to our economic future, to Mexico's
    economic future, and to our cooperation in every area. It is making both
    our economies grow. It is making us both more efficient and more
    competitive in the world market. And it adds to the resources we can use
    to address common concerns such as the environment.
        That is why I am firmly committed to the NAFTA, and it's why I
    believe the American people and Congress will support the NAFTA this
    year. We are the world's number one exporter. Exports are creating more
    jobs than any other source in our economy today. American workers and
    companies want to compete fairly in the international market. They seek
    no special advantage, only a level playing field. Mexico has already
    made important strides in labor rights and in protecting the
    environment. When we conclude the side agreements, we will have an even
    broader basis for cooperation and progress.
        By approving the NAFTA, we will cement in place a new source of jobs
    and economic growth for workers in Canada, Mexico, and the United
    States. And we will do more than that. We will send a signal that the
    nations of the Americas are on their way to building a hemisphere of
    freer trade.
        Once again, I wish to reiterate my deep personal commitment to
    continuing the positive, friendly relations between the U.S. and Mexico.
    I look forward to celebrating together with you the happy occasion of
    congressional approval of the NAFTA before the end of this year.