U.S. and Mexico Discuss Trucking, NAFTA, Customs Cooperation, Security, Etc. During Recent Meeting

Highlights of the statements made and agreements reached at the meeting include:

U.S. and Mexico are Still Working to Resolve Trucking Issue

President Obama said that the U.S. is working with Mexico to resolve the U.S.-Mexico trucking dispute in an effective way, noting that the dispute is not helpful to U.S. producers who are interested in selling into Mexico and are fearful that they may be subject to countervailing tariffs or retaliation.

Mexican President Seeking to Work with U.S. on Certain Trade Areas

At a press conference at the conclusion of their meeting, Mexican President Caldern opined that the U.S. and Mexico can work together on the following trade areas:

strengthening border infrastructure;

increasing customs cooperation (President Caldern discussed the possibility of one single customs form for exports or imports from one country to another to reduce bureaucracy and make trade more expeditious); and

concrete measures to harmonize standards.

Obama Says Difficult Economy to Hinder Adding Labor/Environment to NAFTA

President Obama noted that as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement framework, that it would make sense for labor and environmental provisions to be enforceable within that agreement rather than just be viewed as a side agreement. However, President Obama acknowledged that both the U.S. and Mexico are in a very difficult time right now economically and that those kinds of negotiations are going to need to proceed in a very careful and deliberate way, because the U.S. and Mexico do not want to discourage trade.

U.S. and Mexico Agree to Security and Climate Change Cooperation

According to a White House fact sheet, the U.S. intends to deepen its cooperation with Mexico in a number of ways, including:

Merida Initiative on organized crime. The Merida Initiative is a $1.4 billion, multi-year package that aims to strengthen regional security cooperation with Mexico and the nations of Central America, the Dominican Republic and Haiti in their fight against drug and arms trafficking and other transnational organized crimes.

Criminal investigations, CIFTA. The U.S. and Mexico will bridge their Integrated Ballistic Identification Systems (IBIS) that store digital photos and arms-related information related to criminal investigations. The President will also urge the U.S. Senate to provide its advice and consent in order to ratify the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA).

Kingpin designation for cartels. To undermine the financial underpinnings of Mexico's cartels, on April 15, 2009 President Obama identified the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, and La Familia Michoacana as Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers, exposing them and their associates to financial sanctions under the U.S. Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change. The U.S. and Mexico have agreed to launch a Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change. The Framework reinforces work in the Major Economies Forum for Energy and Climate and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as complements the Summit of the America's new Energy and Climate Partnership.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 04/17/09 news, 09041715, for BP summary on the Department of Homeland Security's operations plan for southwest border security enhancements.

See 04/16/09 news, 09041699 1, for BP summary on DHS' announcement of a new border "czar.")

Transcript of joint press conference (dated 04/16/09) available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Joint-Press-Conference-With-President-Barack-Obama-And-President-Felipe-Calderon-Of-Mexico-4/16/2009/.

Fact sheet (dated 04/16/09) available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Fact-Sheet-US-Mexico-Discuss-New-Approach-to-Bilateral-Relationship/.