 President de la Madrid and I have just completed one of our most constructive and I think fruitful meetings. It was the fifth in a series which began in 1982 and demonstrated again that U.S.-Mexican relations are based on respect, understanding, open and frank discussion, and mutually beneficial cooperation. The decline of oil prices and the burden of a debt incurred in past years have hit Mexico hard. President de la Madrid's administration and the people of Mexico are making a courageous determined effort to face up to their nation's fundamental economic problems and turn a difficult situation around. In our meeting today, I emphasized to President de la Madrid that the people and government of the United States are ready to lend a hand when and where it can make a difference. The United States, for example, strongly endorses Mexico's recent agreements with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. We hope arrangements made with Mexico's private creditors move quickly so that Mexico can reignite economic growth, evolve toward a more efficient market-oriented system, continue to meet its debt obligations, and meet the economic needs of the Mexican people. As I expressed to President de la Madrid today, the United States is prepared to do its part with commercial and agricultural credits, support for international financial institution programs in Mexico, and by maintaining our markets open to Mexican products, products Mexico must export if it is to prosper and meet its international financial obligations. Mexico's entry into the general agreement on tariffs and trade is also viewed here as a major step forward. This step comprises part of a strategy of economic restructuring which highlights productivity and the creation of a favorable business climate. Toward this end, President de la Madrid and I agreed to give priority to negotiations of a framework agreement on trade and investment and to have it done within a year. Symbolic of our strengthening bonds, I am pleased to announce that the United States today is lifting today our six-year-old embargo on the importation of tuna from Mexico. Former Ambassador John Gavin, I should point out, was instrumental in achieving this breakthrough. And we're looking for further progress in our discussions on fisheries issues. One area of solid agreement was our recognition of the necessity of maintaining our country's strong campaign against drugs. We pledged to bolster our eradication programs and our efforts to bring to justice vicious drug traffickers who have been such a corrupting influence in both our countries. We also pledged to do all possible to attack the demand side of this evil by aggressively discouraging the consumption of narcotic drugs. We can be proud of the proud range or the broad range of cooperation developing between our countries, including border environmental policy, improved civil aviation arrangements, new bridges and border crossings, and our strong energy relations. We plan to strengthen our binational consultations at the cabinet level to better meet the challenges and take advantage of opportunities for our two nations in the coming years. What we have accomplished today builds upon the successes of the past and will benefit both our peoples. It was a pleasure to see my friend, President De La Madrid, again as a good friend and neighbor. We wish you a safe journey home. Hasta luego, y nos vemos. Gracias. Gracias. Señoras, señores, en primer lugar transmito mi reconocimiento al señor presidente Reagan por su cordial invitación para celebrar una reunión de trabajo en Washington. Ha sido un encuentro oportuno y fructífero porque nos ha permitido resultados muy positivos al abordar con franqueza y profundidad diversas cuestiones que ambos presidentes consideramos de la mayor importancia para el buen entendimiento en las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y México. Ladies and gentlemen, in the first place I wish to express my appreciation to President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, for his cordial invitation to hold this meeting in Washington. It has been a timely and fruitful meeting. It has been a fruitful meeting because it has been positive results in allowing us to deal frankly and in depth with various problems that both president consider to be of prime importance for the proper development of relations between the United States and Mexico. El presidente Reagan y yo coincidimos en dar atención prioritaria a los asuntos de la agenda bilateral. Como en el plácito, reconocimos que durante este año han habido positivos avances y acuerdos en la atención de diversas cuestiones económicas y en materia de cooperación fronteriza. Coincidimos en que es necesario y justo destacar tales progresos. President Reagan and I agreed to give priority attention to the topics included in the bilateral agenda. We are pleased to acknowledge that this year there have been positive developments and agreements in dealing with various economic matters and in border cooperation. We agree that it is necessary and just to emphasize such progress. Hemos acordado que nuestros gobiernos realicen a partir de hoy un esfuerzo extraordinario para mejorar la atmósfera de nuestras relaciones. We have agreed that the governments are beginning today should make an extraordinary effort to strengthen and improve our relations. Es esta condición indispensable para facilitar y ampliar la cooperación bilateral en beneficio de ambos pueblos. This is a necessary element in order to broaden and intensify the cooperation between the two peoples. Con satisfacción he confirmado hoy la firme voluntad que anima al presidente Reagan para impulsar el desarrollo de relaciones marcadas por un signo positivo entre los Estados Unidos y México. It is with satisfaction that I have today confirmed the firm determination of President Reagan to give renewed impetus to the development of positive relations between the United States and Mexico. Con este espíritu hemos conversado sobre diversas cuestiones que mucho interesan a los dos gobiernos y en general a los dos países. Permítanme destacar algunas brevemente. In this spirit we have exchanged views on various issues of great import of great interest to the two governments and to both countries in general. Allow me to point out some of them briefly. En primer término abordamos detenidamente distintos aspectos de las relaciones financieras y comerciales. Firstly we took up in detail different aspects of our financial and trade relations. Las recientes negociaciones del gobierno mexicano con los organismos financieros internacionales principalmente con el Fondo Monetario Internacional han sido exitosas al permitir nuevas y más realistas y flexibles fórmulas para enfrentar el problema de la deuda externa. The recent negotiations on the part of the Mexican government were the international financial institutions particularly the International Monetary Fund have successfully opened the way to new and more realistic and flexible formulas for dealing with the problem of the foreign debt. Reconozco que el gobierno de los Estados Unidos en un empeño corresponsable de alto valor jugó un papel constructivo en tales negociaciones que mucho hemos apreciado. I recognize that the government of the United States in playing a very constructive role did a very fine thing and this we greatly appreciate. Es nuestro propósito que México logre un crecimiento económico sostenido y suficiente como base indispensable para reestructurar y modernizar su economía. It is our purpose that Mexico should attain a sufficient and contained growth and as a basis in order to restructure and renew its economy. Para mantener los avances sociales que han sido factor principal de la larga estabilidad política del país. In order to maintain the social progress that has been the basis for the long stability of our country. Y para ampliar la capacidad de cumplimiento de sus compromisos financieros internacionales. And in order to extend its capacity to comply with its international commitments. La solución al problema de la deuda externa se relaciona con la necesidad de mayor financiamiento para el desarrollo de mejores condiciones para el comercio con el exterior. The problem of the foreign debt is related with more finances in order to improve the conditions that will make it possible for us to comply with our foreign debt. México busca implantar una base sólida de exportaciones no petroleras en áreas en las que tiene ventajas comparativas. Mexico seeks to create greater exportations in areas in which it has comparative advantages export that are not oil problem. Los vínculos comerciales entre los dos países dentro de un mayor marco de equidad que reconozca las diferencias en el grado de desarrollo de las dos economías. Así como las condiciones absolutas de no discriminación y no reciprocidad absoluta pueden ser bases de mejores relaciones en el comercio. Commercial links that will recognize the varying degrees of developments of both economies and that do not offer discrimination or absolute reciprocity can be a good basis for the increase of our trade. Ambos presidentes hemos dado instrucciones para que se entable de inmediato pláticas para alcanzar un acuerdo bilateral ampliado sobre comercio y otras materias cuyo contenido será definido y elaborado en los próximos meses para lo cual hemos instruido a nuestros respectivos negociadores. Both the presidents have given instructions to their associates in order to undertake a broadened trade agreement on trade and on other subjects and we have given definite instructions to our negotiators on both sides. El presidente Reagan y yo tuvimos también ocasión de intercambiar algunas impresiones sobre los problemas que enfrentan los trabajadores sin documentados mexicanos en los Estados Unidos. President Reagan and I also had the opportunity to exchange points of view on the problems of the undocumented workers in the United States. Este es un problema que obedece a factores económicos estructurales de ambas economías. This is a problem that has to do with the structural, the structures of both economies y seguramente los lujos migratorios tenderán a descender en la medida en que la economía mexicana mejore. And there is no doubt that as the Mexican economy improves the migrant flows will tend to decline. Quisiera referirme también al tema que el presidente Reagan y yo tratamos como parte muy importante, muy destacada de nuestras conversaciones que es el combate al narcotráfico. I would also like to refer to a subject that President Reagan and I dealt with as a very important part of our conversations and I am referring now to the war against drug trafficking. El gobierno de México sostiene que la cooperación internacional es necesaria para enfrentar con eficacia el grave problema del narcotráfico maintains that international cooperation is absolutely necessary in order to efficiently face drug trafficking. Estamos de acuerdo en que es indispensable atacar simultáneamente y con la mayor determinación todos los eslabones de la cadena delictiva es decir la producción, la distribución y el consumo. We agree that it is necessary to simultaneously attack all the links of the change that is production, distribution and consumption. He manifestado al presidente Reagan la importancia que concedemos a la campaña emprendida por el gobierno norteamericano bajo su liderato para combatir la distribución y el consumo de estupefacientes en los Estados Unidos. I have said to President Reagan that we believe that the campaign that under his leadership has been established in the United States is very important to combat the consumption and the distribution of drugs. We shall continue to strengthen the cooperation between both governments in order to combat this cancer of modern society. I believe, ladies and gentlemen, that as has been said by President Reagan, this conversation has been particularly satisfactory. It is an additional proof of the firm and loyal friendship that unites our two peoples. We have a great deal to benefit from a dignified, cordial relationship of mutually good for both. I thank President Reagan and the members of his party for the very warm hospitality that they have extended to us. And once again I would like to state the recognition of the government and the people of Mexico for the assistance that was given to us by the United States during the earthquakes in the month of September, particularly the very warm friendship of Nancy Reagan who went to Mexico to be with us during those painful times. Thank you very much.