04 October 2001
Transcript: Bush and Fox Pledge U.S.-Mexico Solidarity Against Terror
(Leaders discuss security cooperation along U.S.-Mexico border) (990)
President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox met at the White
House October 4 to discuss bilateral issues and U.S.-Mexico
cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.
Fox expressed his nation's "sorrow" and "solidarity" with the people
and government of the United States in the wake of the September 11
attacks on New York and Washington. He underlined the importance of
the two countries' economic and social ties, and pledged help in
improving security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"We will be side by side in your efforts to defeat terrorism in the
world and wherever it is," Fox said. "We will be coordinating,
participating, collaborating on our side with [the] resources that we
have at hand."
Bush welcomed Fox as "a loyal friend to the United States," and said
that U.S.-Mexico relations would remain a priority for his
administration.
"Obviously, our nation is now focused on the incidents of September
11th," Bush told reporters. "But I assured [Fox] our relationship will
go forward, that we'll work on the issues that we had discussed the
last time we were here."
Following is the transcript of their remarks:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2001
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH AND PRESIDENT FOX OF MEXICO
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
The Colonnade
11:45 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: It is my honor to welcome my friend back to the White
House. It wasn't all that long ago that we were standing out here for
the opening ceremony of the first and only state dinner I've had since
I've been the President. He came as a friend then, and he's come back
as a loyal friend to the United States.
September 11th really changed America. President Fox understood that
right off the bat. One of the first calls I got was from Vicente Fox.
He called expressing his deep condolences to the American people. He
was very kind to me. He wished me well. President Fox understands that
an attack on America affects Mexico in a significant way. After all,
there are millions of Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals living
in America; men and women who saw a land they love attacked; men and
women who have united around a great cause of defending freedom.
In this country we don't ask the question: "What is your religion or
where are you from?" We ask the question: "Are you united to defend
freedom?" And there are millions of Mexican Americans who understand
that call. So when the President said, "We stand with you," he is not
only saying [that] we stand with the United States government, he's
saying: "We stand with millions of people living in our country, as
well."
President Fox and I had a great discussion about ways we can continue
to cooperate. We need to cooperate on security matters along our
border, which we are. We need to continue working on other agenda
items that we have been working on, and we will.
Obviously, our nation is now focused on the incidents of September
11th. But I assured him our relationship will go forward, that we'll
work on the issues that we had discussed the last time we were here. I
talked to my friend about our economy. It has been affected
significantly by the actions of September the 11th. But I assured him
that we will take an aggressive role at the federal level to try to
spur economic growth, which is very important, since we've got a
significant amount of trade between our nations.
In sum, I'm so glad he came back. It's comforting to know that our
friend to the south is going to be a friend in good times and in tough
times.
So, Mr. President, welcome back. Thank you for coming.
PRESIDENT FOX: Thank you. And thank you, President, for the
opportunity to be back here again; the opportunity to express very
clearly, loudly, our sorrow, our solidarity with your government, with
the American people, with the victims and all those who suffered under
these attacks. But also, the opportunity to reaffirm our commitments.
We are a friend, we are neighbors, we are partners, and we want to
make very clear that this means commitment all the way, and that we
will keep our commitments. And we are working on an everyday basis,
either in the border, either in customs, either in migration, either
-- on each of the subjects that have to do with security. We will be
side by side in your efforts to defeat terrorism in the world and
wherever it is. We will be coordinating, participating, collaborating
on our side with our resources that we have at hand. And we know of
your efforts not only to meet this challenge, we know the efforts also
to keep America moving. And that's something that we very proudly see,
that this nation does not know about defeat; on the contrary. But it's
working to come back to be the leader, to be that strong spirit and
economy that is an example for all of us.
And we're working in the same direction. We know that in economic
terms, things are interactive; as well, as we buy a lot of products,
services from the United States, we sell a lot of products to the
United States, being one of the largest trading two economies in the
world. And through working in that direction, we can also contribute
to overcoming this situation.
So, thanks again for giving us this opportunity. And we go back
knowing that we have a lot of work to do, that we've been doing and
that we will keep on doing. So, thank you, President.
BUSH: Thank you, Mr. President.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
