    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [March 13, 2007]
    [Pages 303-305]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Dinner Hosted by President Felipe de Jesus Calderon
    Hinojosa of Mexico in
    Merida
    March 13, 2007

        Mr. President, Mrs. Zavala, members of your government, Governor of
    Yucatan, the mayor of
    Merida, other government
    officials, distinguished guests: Buenas noches, y gracias. Laura and I are delighted to be back in Mexico. We're
    grateful for the warm hospitality of President Calderon and Mrs. Zavala.
    We appreciate the chance to dine in this beautiful setting, which calls
    to mind Mexico's rich history and its bright future.
        For Laura and me, the connection to Mexico
    stretches back for decades. Somos Tejanos. We have come to admire your
    country, the people, and your culture. As Governor, I worked closely
    with my counterparts on this side of the border and made a lot of
    friends in Mexico. As President, Mexico was the first country I visited
    and the first country whose leader I welcomed for a state dinner at the
    White House. Over the past 6 years, I've traveled all across your
    nation, from here in Merida to Monterrey to Los Cabos on the Pacific
    Coast. And this evening the relationship between Mexico and the United
    States is as strong and is as vibrant as it has ever been, and President
    Calderon and I intend to keep it that way.
        The ties between our countries are deep and lasting. We are united
    by the bonds of family. We are united by the growing commerce that
    crosses our border each

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    day. And we are united in our faith in an Almighty God.
        The accident of geography made our two countries neighbors, but
    common values have made us friends. The most important value we share is
    our belief in democracy, and last year, the world saw Mexican democracy
    in action. Across the country, large numbers of voters turned out for an
    election that was open, honest, and really close; come to think of it,
    it sounds familiar to me. [Laughter] Your fidelity to the democratic
    process was the mark of a nation growing in confidence and freedom. And
    in the end, the Mexican people chose a good man to be their President.
        Shortly before his inauguration, President Calderon came to see me
    in the Oval Office. I was impressed by his character, his leadership,
    and his devotion to the Mexican people. He's an innovative thinker with
    a vision of justice and prosperity for all in this nation. And during
    his first 100 days as President, he's shown his commitment to delivering
    results for all the people he has served. In my conversations today, he
    shared his willingness to work with members of all political parties and
    with people from all sectors of the civil society.
        Today we discussed the President's top priorities. I share those
    priorities. His top priority is to provide security throughout the
    country. He's taking bold steps to enforce the rule of law and to crack
    down on organized crime and drugs, and reform the judicial system.
        The United States is a strong partner in these efforts. We've got
    work to do on our side of the border. People provide drugs because there
    is a demand for drugs, and the United States must do a better job of
    reducing the demand for drugs. And at the same time, I look forward to
    close cooperation. We'll work with the President and other Presidents in
    our region to interdict the supply of drugs.
        President Calderon also knows the importance of creating new
    opportunities for Mexico's economy. He's laid out innovative policies to
    combat poverty and to create jobs. I found one of his policies most
    interesting: rewarding Mexican companies that hire first-time workers.
    And I appreciate his strong commitment to housing and infrastructure in
    southern Mexico.
        He's called for economic reforms that encourage competition and
    fight corruption. He understands the importance of free and fair trade.
    The United States welcomes a strong Mexican economy, and we fully
    understand that we must work together to facilitate a smooth transition
    to full trade, especially on sensitive issues such as corn and beans.
        President Calderon holds deep convictions on the matter of
    migration, and so do I. Our nations share a 2,000-mile border, and that
    should be a source of unity, not division. So we're working together to
    keep both sides of the border open to tourism and trade and closed to
    criminals and drug dealers and smugglers and terrorists and gun runners.
        I appreciate the President's commitment to secure Mexican borders on
    both the north and the south. And I told the President today--and I'm
    going to keep repeating it while I'm here in Mexico--that I know our
    country must have comprehensive immigration reform. We are a rule of
    law. But it's important for the American citizens to understand that
    family values do not stop at the Rio Grande River, and that it's in our
    Nation's interests to have a comprehensive immigration law so we can
    uphold the great values of America, values based on human dignity and
    the worth of each individual.
        And so, Mr. President, it's been a good day. We spent a lot of time
    talking about important issues in a very constructive and friendly way.
    I appreciate your candor. I appreciate you being straightforward. And I,
    too, would like to offer a toast to good people of Mexico and its
    leaders.

    [[Page 305]]

    Note: The President spoke at 8:16 p.m. at Hacienda Xcanatun. In his
    remarks, he referred to Margarita Esther Zavala Gomez del Campo, wife of
    President Calderon; Governor Patricio Jose Patron Laviada of Yucatan,
    Mexico; and Mayor Manuel Jesus Fuentes Alcocer of Merida, Mexico. The
    transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included
    the remarks of President Calderon. The Office of the Press Secretary
    also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.