http://www.mexidata.info/id745.html

January 10, 2006


Mexico offers other nations use of consulates in U.S.


By VÃÂ*ctor Hugo Michel



The Mexican government will place its consular network in the United States at the disposal of those Central American and Caribbean countries that may make such a request, according to Luis Ernesto Derbez, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Relations.



Derbez said that a dozen countries will be allowed to station their personnel in Mexican consulates in the U.S. Mexico has more consulates in the United States than any other foreign country, with 48 diplomatic missions throughout the nation.



The countries that might participate in this initiative, the objective of which is to allow countries with lesser resources to care for their citizens in the U.S., are Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.



“With pleasure, Mexican consulates will be able to house an official from another government so that it can provide adequate defense (to its citizens), in the proper setting, given that we have that ability that does not necessarily correspond to the capability of all the other countries,� Derbez said.



â€â€