Monday, July 16, 2007

Message from the Ambassador of the USA to Mexico

Newsletter from Ambassador Garza

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Yesterday, President and Mrs. Bush hosted the White House Conference on the Americas, welcoming representatives of the private sector, non-governmental organizations, faith-based groups, and volunteer groups from countries throughout the Western Hemisphere and the United States. The conference focused on how to deliver aid and build democratic institutions in the Americas, highlighting President Bush’s commitment to advancing the cause of social justice in our hemisphere.

As President Bush said before his visit to Latin America in March, "Today the most important ties between North and South America are not government to government, they are people to people. And those ties are growing. These ties are growing because of our churches and faith-based institutions, which understand that the call to love our neighbors as ourselves does not stop at our borders." In bringing together some of the most important players in the region, the Conference on the Americas is a step toward allowing all the peoples of our region to prosper from the benefits of democracy in their daily lives.

During the conference, Mrs. Bush announced the launch of the Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas. Linking medical experts and grassroots organizations in the United States with their counterparts in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico, this partnership will help to promote awareness of breast cancer while also increasing research in the partner countries. This issue is one particularly close to me, having lost both my mother and sister to cancer. I am pleased that Mexico will be one of the first countries in Latin America to benefit from this program. I look forward to observing first hand the progress that can be made when our two countries work hand-in-hand to combat this devastating disease.

Click here to read more about the Conference on the Americas

Click here for more on the Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas

At a government-to-government level, the positive results of regional cooperation within North America are readily apparent. One example is the June 25 meeting of Mexican, Canadian, and U.S. experts in Cancun, under the auspices of the Security and Prosperity Partnership. This group addressed an issue that is important to both the security and the prosperity of our nations: intellectual property rights. Knowledge-based industries and strong brand names can attract investment and create jobs and wealth. Working together, our three governments will strengthen intellectual property protection laws to ensure that our creative output can compete fairly in the world market.

For more on the SPP, click here

Regional cooperation is essential for tackling environmental issues as well. On June 14, the Aquarium of Veracruz became the newest member of the Coastal America Partnership and the first established outside the United States. As a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center, the aquarium will enable marine scientists and experts to share the information they need to protect and restore the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. The future of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the people who live along the coast, depends on the continuing partnership of our two countries.

Click here to learn about the Coastal America Partnership

As representatives of the United States government in Mexico, we have no greater responsibility than the welfare of Americans residing in or visiting this great country. On June 25, we opened a new U.S. consular agency in Playa del Carmen, enhancing our ability to aide and assist U.S. citizens who encounter emergency situations while traveling in this region, which has grown so much in the past years.

Click here for a listing of U.S. consular agencies in Mexico

On June 28, I had the pleasure of addressing University of Texas alumni in Monterrey. The University of Texas has always been a beacon of knowledge and understanding for American and Mexican students, and UT alumni have become leaders in their fields, both in Mexico and the United States. In Monterrey, we honored one of these outstanding alumni, Adrian Gerardo Sada Treviño, the Honorary President of the Vitro Glass Company, a man whose hard work and dedication have helped to shape Monterrey as the North American industrial powerhouse it is today.

Click here for more on this event

Lastly, on July 4th, the U.S. Mission in Mexico celebrated Independence Day. Every year on this day, Americans gather in parks and backyards across the nation to grill hamburgers, watch fireworks, and celebrate the many opportunities the United States has provided. They may have been born in India or in Indiana, in Mexico or in New Mexico, but these Americans share a belief in the words written over two centuries ago: We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.

The Declaration’s unalienable rights apply not only to Americans but to all human beings. It is the responsibility of all governments to ensure these rights. The United States is not and should not be the only land of opportunity. The strength of the relationship between the United States and Mexico lies in our ability to work together, creating opportunities for both our peoples while guaranteeing their security. With the continued courage of our leadership and the renewed commitment of our people, I am confident that we will live up to the promise made that first July 4th, 1776.

Click here to read my remarks from July 4, 2007

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to share with you information about the important bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States. May God bless both our great nations.

Sincerely,

Antonio O. Garza, Jr.

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Embassy of the United States – Mexico, Mexico City, July 10, 2007.

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