This is a complicated period for relations between the United States and Mexico. Both countries share a wide range of common interests from which occasionally surface strong disagreements.
President Barack Obama's scheduled visit to Mexico in April will be an opportunity to align the priorities of the two countries with the interests of the new U.S. administration and to smooth over a number of problematic areas.
One of these is the recent conflict within the North American Free Trade Agreement, given the U.S. decision to refuse to allow Mexican trucks into the country and Mexico's immediate response, which was to raise tariffs on a number of U.S. products.
Added to this are the serious concerns over the border's drug traffic coming into the north and the arms trade going into the south. The profound impact that this has on the security of both nations is a major issue between the two countries.
We also believe that immigration should be another priority, even when the economies of both nations are struggling as they are now. The reform of U.S immigration law is an internal issue, but Mexico has an obligation to be concerned about the well-being of its citizens. This issue can’t be ignored.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to Mexico this coming Wednesday begins to pave the way for the president's visit. Following Clinton, there will be trips by Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, both to address other aspects of the bilateral agenda.
Such preparations offer hope for positive outcomes from the upcoming meeting between the two heads of state at this critical moment.
This is a complicated period for relations between the United States and Mexico. Both countries share a wide range of common interests from which occasionally surface strong disagreements.
President Barack Obama's scheduled visit to Mexico in April will be an opportunity to align the priorities of the two countries with the interests of the new U.S. administration and to smooth over a number of problematic areas.
One of these is the recent conflict within the North American Free Trade Agreement, given the U.S. decision to refuse to allow Mexican trucks into the country and Mexico's immediate response, which was to raise tariffs on a number of U.S. products.
Added to this are the serious concerns over the border's drug traffic coming into the north and the arms trade going into the south. The profound impact that this has on the security of both nations is a major issue between the two countries.
We also believe that immigration should be another priority, even when the economies of both nations are struggling as they are now. The reform of U.S immigration law is an internal issue, but Mexico has an obligation to be concerned about the well-being of its citizens. This issue can’t be ignored.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to Mexico this coming Wednesday begins to pave the way for the president's visit. Following Clinton, there will be trips by Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, both to address other aspects of the bilateral agenda.
