    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [September 5, 2001]
    [Pages 1075-1076]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Joint Cabinet Meeting With President Vicente
    Fox of Mexico
    September 5, 2001

        President Bush. Mr. President, first, let me introduce you to many
    of the members of our press corps, which are fine Americans. [Laughter]
        We have had an extraordinary meeting. Not only did the President and
    I meet in the Oval Office for a continuation of our frank discussions on
    very important issues that relate to our two countries; we then just had
    a joint Cabinet meeting. I suspect this is the first time there has been
    a joint Cabinet meeting between the Mexican Government and the United
    States Government--or the United States Government and any government,
    for that matter. And some of our Cabinet officials briefed the President
    and me on a variety of subjects: crime, agriculture, water issues,
    energy, migration, and foreign policy within the region.
        What I came away with is that the spirit of cooperation has never
    been stronger, that not only do the President and I consider ourselves
    friends but our Cabinet officials have gotten to know each other on a
    personal basis. And the dialog is very important and very frank.
        Our relationship with Mexico is an incredibly important
    relationship. It's one where there's a lot of opportunity, and it's a
    relationship where there are problems. And in order to deal with those
    problems and take advantage of those opportunities, it's important to
    have discussions at all levels in our government. And this is what we've
    begun.
        Mr. President, I'm so honored you are here. This is the first state
    visit that I've had as the President, and I can't think of a better
    state visit and a better way to culminate the morning than to have had a
    frank discussion amongst the able team that you've put together and the
    able team that I've put together.
        I'd be glad to have some of your comments, Mr. President.
        President Fox. Thank you very much. I think there are a lot of
    expectations out of this visit, the state visit to the United States. We
    are very pleased and honored to be here, especially to witness the
    effort, the amount of jobs, the amount of work and meetings that have
    gone through since we last met in Mexico.
        As was mentioned here, the ambiente is the correct ambiente; it is
    of a professionalism; it is a frank and open discussions; it is of
    productivity, this ambiente which we are living during the day.
        It was mentioned here that today we have an everyday contact on most
    of the working teams that are doing this job behind the scene that we're
    seeing here. I'm very, very satisfied, where we have been reported today
    as the work that has been done in the last 6 months. And there is clear
    advantage on each of the subjects.
        But more so, there is a clear advance on this philosophy of trust
    that we are building in, that we have built in the process, and that is
    the foundation of the actions, the deliberations, the discussions, and

    [[Page 1076]]

    the conclusions and decisions that are being taken all along through the
    process.
        So to us, today we reaffirm that this friendship, this strong
    relationship that has been built between Mexico and the United States,
    is becoming now very productive. So we make--that this will come on
    flowing in this close future and keep advancing on each of the subjects
    that we have discussed.
        Thank you.
        President Bush. Thank you all very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:33 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. President Fox spoke partly in Spanish, and those portions of his
    remarks were translated by an interpreter. A tape was not available for
    verification of the content of these remarks.