    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 46 (Monday, November 17, 1997)]
    [Pages 1806-1808]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Declaration of President Clinton and President Zedillo

    November 14, 1997

        We met to carry forward the mature partnership between our two
    governments, marked by mutual respect, to review progress on the work
    program launched at our last meeting in Mexico City in May, and to
    continue our personal contacts in order to spur further cooperation on
    issues of vital importance to our citizens.
        Since our meeting six months ago:
    <bullet>    We have concluded negotiations in the Organization of
                American States of an hemispheric convention against illegal
                firearms trafficking, originally proposed by Mexico and
                strongly endorsed by the two of us at our meeting in Mexico
                City last May.
    <bullet>    We have concluded a Protocol to our Extradition Treaty,
                which will permit temporary extradition to allow cross
                border criminals to be tried in both jurisdictions while the
                evidence is still fresh. We exchanged instruments of
                ratification of our Maritime Boundary Treaty, thereby taking
                an important step to fully demarcate our common maritime
                border.
    <bullet>    We have concluded a Memorandum of Intent on Environmental
                Commercial Cooperation.
    <bullet>    The team of researchers commissioned by our two governments
                has completed its binational study on migration, and
                submitted its report.
    <bullet>    The High Level Contact Group submitted to us an Executive
                Summary of the Joint Counternarcotics Strategy which we
                mandated in our bilateral Alliance Against Drugs.
    <bullet>    Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trade
                between our two countries continues to expand, enriching our
                societies and employing an ever-larger number of our
                workers. Thus, since we last met, Mexico has become the
                United States' second largest market, while the United
                States remains Mexico's largest market.
        Looking to the future, we agreed to work together in the
    international negotiations on climate change. Our governments will
    promote the growth of electronic commerce and development of the
    Internet. We confirm our commitment to the goals of our bilateral
    Alliance Against Drugs, and to the development of measures through which
    we can appraise our efforts in our common fight. We will work to expand
    hemisphere-wide counternarcotics cooperation and to strengthen the
    Organization of American States' capacity to support this priority task.
    We will promote the preparatory work and successful conclusion of the
    special session of the UN General Assembly to enhance global cooperation
    against illicit drugs.
        We have achieved progress in the implementation of our May 6 Joint
    Declaration on Migration:
    <bullet>    We have agreed on appropriate procedures at the border and
                inside the US for the orderly and safe repatriation of
                Mexican nationals with full regard for their dignity and
                human rights and the principle of family unity.
    <bullet>    We have enhanced the capacities of the eight liaison
                mechanisms at border cities to promote protection of
                migrants and safety along our common border.
    <bullet>    We have taken actions between Mexican Consuls and
                Immigration and Naturalization Service Directors to improve
                consular protection in pursuance of the agreements signed by
                both governments.
    <bullet>    We agreed to a new cooperative agenda which will explore and
                respond to the linkage between migration and development in
                both countries.
    <bullet>    We instructed our officials to work with the conclusions of
                our binational study on migration to involve communities on

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                both sides of the border in a consultative process designed
                to produce innovative approaches to common challenges and
                opportunities for development to our mutual benefit, and to
                report back to us within a year.
    <bullet>    Finally, we call on the academic communities of both
                countries to join us in this effort.
        On the border, we will continue to work toward a new vision of
    cooperation in this dynamic and challenging region, in order to make it
    safer, more promising for families and communities and enriching for
    both countries. Through the identification of model-projects in the
    areas of public safety, environmental protection, urban infrastructure,
    and cultural life, we endeavor to promote economic, social, and cultural
    development for the benefit of our communities. Among others, we
    welcomed projects such as the one currently taking place in the San
    Diego/Tijuana area for the comprehensive management of solid waste; and
    initiatives for the facilitation of border crossings, like the upcoming
    construction of the Rio Grande bridge at Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras.
        On drug control, we reiterated our commitment to the goals of our
    bilateral Alliance Against Drugs, to the development of concrete
    measures by which we can determine if our common efforts against drugs
    are succeeding, and to their full implementation in full respect for the
    sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction of both nations. We also agreed
    on the need to further bolster efforts to reduce the demand for illicit
    drugs, as part of a comprehensive approach to anti-narcotics
    cooperation. We acknowledged Mexico's efforts on eradication,
    interdiction and combating criminal organizations. We agreed on the need
    for effective action against drug corruption on both sides of border,
    for the development of closer law enforcement cooperation, and to ensure
    the safety of law enforcement officers of both countries, along with
    safeguards for shared information.
        We have arranged for a conference of demand control experts from our
    two countries in March to determine how we can most effectively share
    our expertise and pool our resources, particularly in the area around
    the border.
        Antinarcotics maritime and air cooperation and coordination, with
    full respect for each others jurisdiction, have led to an increase in
    drug seizures at sea and an increase in the amount of drugs seized by
    Mexican authorities in Mexican territory. Training of the personnel
    required for specialized anti-drug law enforcement units has continued
    apace and we have brought pressure on the major drug trafficking
    organizations.
        On macroeconomic issues, we agreed that Mexico's strong reforms
    since 1995--backed by U.S. and international support--have helped to
    restore financial strength and put the Mexican economy in healthy
    condition. We discussed Mexico's economic and financial situation in
    light of recent turbulence in emerging markets and acknowledged that
    continued strong policies will help preserve and expand these
    accomplishments.
        Trade between our two countries has continued to increase, promoting
    high growth and generating additional jobs in both countries. As a
    natural consequence of this dynamic trading relationship, issues of
    concern in several sectors have arisen, which we discussed and on which
    we instructed our officials to continue to seek resolution. We also
    reaffirmed our commitment to continue our cooperation in labor and the
    environment.
        We agreed that the Internet represents an important new tool for
    expanding commerce, promoting education, research and development and
    enhancing the delivery of social services, particularly in remote areas.
    We will consult domestically and explore in the appropriate
    international fora key issues related to the promotion of a legal and
    commercial environment in which this medium can flourish, encouraging
    our private sector to lead in its development. We instructed our experts
    to meet to carry out this pledge.
        On environment, we confirmed agreement to promote sustainable
    development in the border area and to seek the support of our border
    communities and the private sector in reaching the goals of Border XXI.
    We also confirmed agreement on indicators to assess and advance progress
    on water, solid and hazardous waste, air and natural resources along the
    border. We welcomed steps taken by the Border Environmental Cooperation
    Commission (BECC) and by the North

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    American Development Bank (NADBank) to address the need for new
    wastewater treatment facilities in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez.
        On climate change, we agreed that developed countries like the
    United States must lead by reducing emissions and developing countries
    like Mexico should be willing to participate in an appropriate global
    regime. We affirmed our support for joint implementation as a means for
    using market mechanisms to promote private sector initiatives and
    investments in clean energy, energy efficiency and reforestation.
    Countries should take on responsibilities under the climate treaty that
    are appropriate to their level of development and fully consistent with
    sustainable economic growth and development. We reaffirmed our support
    for the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the principle of
    common but differentiated responsibility. We have instructed our
    representatives to consult closely on this issue as we approach the
    Kyoto conference.
        On hemispheric and multilateral issues, we highlighted the
    importance of education in the agenda of the Summit of the Americas. We
    welcomed our negotiators' success in achieving a hemispheric firearms
    trafficking convention and pledged to support its early ratification. We
    expressed our support for restraint and transparency in arms transfers.
    We also agreed to work together to promote hemispheric cooperation in
    law enforcement and anti-corruption efforts.
        We discussed the importance of new multilateral initiatives in
    counternarcotics including multilateral assessment of progress achieved
    by all hemispheric countries toward meeting their respective national
    goals. We are convinced that illicit drugs represent a worldwide problem
    which requires international cooperation and that each nation assumes
    fully its own responsibility. Therefore, we pledged to work together to
    ensure the success of the United Nations' Special Session on Illicit
    Drugs in June, 1998. We commended the work done by both governments in
    the fulfillment of our commitments and instructed our officials to
    increase their efforts in the achievement of our common goals.
        We are convinced that two neighbors and partners, like the United
    States and Mexico, can address even the most complex issues through
    mutual respect, constructive dialog and cooperation.