Monday, February 27, 2017 Joint Statement by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly
on Bilateral Discussions in Mexico City
U.S. State Department
(Transcript)
We just concluded a very productive set of meetings with
our counterparts Secretary of Government Miguel Angel Osorio Chong; Secretary of Foreign Relations Luis Videgaray Caso; Secretary
of National Defense General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda; Secretary of the Navy Admiral Vidal Francisco Soberon Sanz; Secretary
of Finance and Public Credit Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena; and Attorney General Raul Cervantes Andrade.
During the course of our meetings, we discussed the breadth of challenges and opportunities in the
U.S.-Mexico relationship. Although our two nations share a long history, our visit was forward-looking, focusing on common
interests that would advance security and economic well-being.
In our meetings, we
jointly acknowledged that, in a relationship filled with vibrant colors, two strong sovereign countries from time to time
will have differences. We listened closely and carefully to each other as we respectfully and patiently raised our respective
concerns.
Our conversations covered the full range of bilateral issues. We reaffirmed
our close cooperation on economic and commercial issues such as energy, legal migration, security, education exchanges, and
people-to-people ties. We agreed that our two countries should seize the opportunity to modernize and strengthen our trade
and energy relationship.
We also reiterated our joint commitment to maintain law
and order along our shared border by stopping potential terrorists, and dismantling the transnational criminal networks moving
drugs and people into the United States. Similarly, we underscored the importance of stopping the illegal firearms and bulk
cash that is originating in the United States and flowing into Mexico. There is no mistaking that the rule of law matters
along both sides of our shared border.
We recognized the existing U.S.-Mexican cooperation to
curtail irregular migration, both by securing Mexico’s southern border and by supporting efforts of Guatemala, Honduras,
and El Salvador – through the Alliance for Prosperity and working with organizations such as the Inter-American Development
Bank – to reduce violence and stimulate economic opportunity in the region.
Finally,
we universally agreed on the importance of strengthening existing institutional mechanisms. The meetings were the continuation
of a purposeful and productive exchange that is setting our two countries down a pathway to greater security and long-term
prosperity.
We both look forward to our meeting with President Enrique Peña
Nieto.
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U.S. State Department, Feb. 23, 2017