    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [November 9, 2006]
    [Pages 2069-2070]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President-Elect Felipe de Jesus
    Calderon Hinojosa of
    Mexico
    November 9, 2006

        President Bush. It is my pleasure to have welcomed the President-
    elect of Mexico here to the Oval Office. I have had a fascinating and
    important conversation. This is a man who won a very good election. I'm
    proud of the Mexican people for conducting an election that is--was open
    and honest. We've spent a lot of time talking about vital issues. I have
    made it very clear to the President-elect that Mexico is a priority of
    this administration.
        I know a fair amount about Mexico; after all, I was the Governor of
    Texas. I assured him that we will work very closely together. We talked
    about trade. We talked about mutual interests, fighting drugs, and we
    talked, of course, about migration. And I assured the President-elect
    that the words I said in the very Oval Office that we sit, about a
    comprehensive immigration vision, are words I still believe strongly.
        And so I want to welcome you here. I wish you all the best as you--
    on your inauguration, on your big day. And I'm looking forward to
    working very closely with you.
        President-elect Calderon. Yes. Thank you, Mr. President.

    [At this point, President-elect Calderon spoke in Spanish, and no
    translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Si, senor. Gracias.
        Did you understand that?
        Q. No.

    [President-elect Calderon spoke in Spanish, and his remarks were
    translated by an interpreter as follows.]

        President-elect Calderon. President Bush and I had a very good
    conversation today. And we reaffirmed the purpose that we both had,
    which is to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the
    United States even more.
        I expressed to President Bush my concern regarding the issue of
    migration. President Bush was very open to all the arguments that I have
    presented to him. And we both stressed the need to have a comprehensive
    vision with which we can move forward. This is, of course, an extremely
    important issue. It is not the only issue in our bilateral relationship.
        We want to foster our trade relationship, our economic relationship
    even more. We both understand that the only solution to many of the
    problems that we have is to create well-paid jobs in Mexico. And for
    that, we need even more investment. We will continue to show the
    importance of democracy, the importance of free trade, the importance of
    all of these issues that will make us an even stronger nation, which
    will also strengthen the bilateral relationship.
        And we were able to have a conversation between two people--two
    people who have very much in common. And we both look forward to a very
    constructive relationship in the future.
        President Bush. Gracias. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:31 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.

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