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University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies
August 16, 2005
Thank you. It’s a great honor for me to be with you here tonight for the Korbel Dinner gathering. I want to thank Dean Tom Farer and the members of the Board of Trustees for their invitation. I am also deeply appreciative that the Graduate School of International Studies selected me as its recipient of the University of Denver’s Distinguished Diplomat Award, and particularly proud to be honored alongside Charles Fote and Joy Burns.
It is a pleasure to be here with Mayor John Hickenlooper, Representative Diana DeGette, Chancellor Bob Coombe, and members of the Diplomatic Corps, including Mexican Consul General Juan Marcos Gutierrez Gonzalez.
Mr. Mayor, our offices have been working together to bring about the extradition of the individual who murdered Officer Donnie Young and wounded Officer Jack Bishop in June and then fled to Mexico. I know how important this issue is to you, to Mrs. Young and to the Denver community… and I wanted to assure you that we will continue working with you to bring Raul Garcia Gomez to justice.
Dr. Josef Korbel was a great man and a gifted teacher who dedicated his life to understanding the interaction of people and nations. He had an immense faith in his adopted country as a moral beacon to the rest of the world in the fight against communism and its dream of bringing democracy to oppressed people.
Korbel’s influence is apparent today in the work of his colleagues and students, among them two Secretaries of State, his daughter Madeline Albright and my boss, Secretary Condoleezza Rice, both of whom have championed the cause of democracy from Belgrade to Baghdad.
I share that faith in the United States’ unique mission and so it is a pleasure and a privilege to be recognized as part of that tradition.
Increasingly the world sees President Bush’s steadfast efforts to end tyranny in this same vein, recognizing that the United States and its international partners have helped the people of Afghanistan and Iraq depose brutal regimes, and find their own paths to democracy and freedom.
America’s national interests – and the lives of tens of millions who have emerged from oppression – have benefited from these historic endeavors.
While dramatic revolutions have introduced the transforming power of democracy to these and other nations, a gradual evolution toward open societies and open markets has continued to unfold in Mexico and Latin America. The paths may differ, but each shows how democracy – people choosing their own leaders – can transform the world, not only in Josef Korbel’s time, but also in our own.
Dean Farer asked me to share with you tonight my perspective on United States-Mexico relations and what the future holds for our two great nations. I’ve spent most of my life immersed in the vibrant culture of Mexico, growing up in South Texas, later studying in Mexico, and now spending nearly three years living in its capital. No other country impacts the United States quite like Mexico does... and no other country is so intertwined with the United States and its people at such a basic level.
When we maintain the balance… when we “get it right,” we barely notice the rather remarkable coexistence between Mexicans and Americans. Every day we exchange visitors and business people, diplomats and field hands, scholars and artists, and…. as long as things are going well, that exchange and the energy it generates goes largely unnoticed… But when it breaks down, those issues provide the content for seemingly non-stop, 24 hour cable news and talk radio.
The fact is we are more often preoccupied by events or imminent threats from other parts of the globe. And some see this as evidence that we take our relationship with Mexico for granted and, while it’s true that this part of the world isn’t always the primary focus of our foreign policy, it does not make our relationship with Mexico any less important.
Mexico is a leading democracy and an economic powerhouse in Latin America and a solid member of our North American partnership. No challenge from the rest of the world will change that.
As diplomatic, political, academic, and business leaders, we should be working toward a vision for U.S.-Mexico relations which is neither exclusively American nor Mexican… something new, one that is unique and respectful of each of our proud histories. Our goal should be a new North American vision that offers inspiration and direction, not only to what is already a dynamic U.S./Mexico relationship, but to the rest of the hemisphere as well.
Across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, we share the ideal of a continent free from terrorism, competitive in the global economy, and supportive of vigorous democratic institutions. A new North American vision should nurture those goals while respecting our distinct national identities.
Pursuing this vision means working closely and communicating on a broad, common agenda that starts with secure borders and depends on the legitimate flow of people and goods. Both countries must cooperate in protecting our citizens from drug-related violence and organized crime. Both countries must compete effectively in the world. Both countries must address poverty while encouraging the responsible development of their communities and the education of future work forces. And both countries must manage a convergence that is being driven by the marketplace… and yes, both countries must do all of this against the backdrop of an historical relationship that hasn’t always been smooth.
This relationship is a complex one with great opportunities for a secure and prosperous future, but getting there will require some real understanding – not perfect agreement – on how to address the problems we share and the obstacles we face.
Consider migration. It’s perhaps the single most sensitive, most talked-about, and most misunderstood challenge our two countries face. Politicians on both sides are quick to tell their counterparts how to solve the problem, but little changes and the current conditions grow more alarming and out of control each day.
President Bush has said, “Our immigration system is … outdated – unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the values of our country.” He has called for a humane and rational system that rejects amnesty, but effectively matches willing workers with willing employers to support our growing economy… And any migration reform must allow us to monitor who is entering and leaving the United States, allowing us to focus our resources on stopping those who might seek to do us harm… Seems simple enough…
But the truth is that there are serious political hurdles to reforming migration laws in the U.S. I worry that Mexicans and their leaders, or Americans for that matter, do not fully appreciate the complexity required to implement the approach President Bush has suggested. It is not simply a matter of left vs. right or Democrat vs. Republican, because migration affects people in so many ways and too often people’s views on this issue are formed on the basis of half-truths or unrealistic expectations.
But migration reform is crucial to the national interests of both our countries. I’ve tried to make clear to Mexican leadership that reform will become much more likely when the American people and our leaders feel confident that the border is secure and Mexico is creating real economic opportunities for its own citizens.
Working together to make the border safe and secure and accelerating Mexico’s economic development should reduce migration pressures and create a climate that allows us to generate farther reaching approaches to the other challenges we face.
Mexico is clearly central to any strategy designed to yield a North American continent free from terrorism. And they’ve been strong allies in our efforts against terrorism. Mexico realizes, as do we, that a terrorist attack on a commercial port of entry like Laredo, Texas would affect the North American economy in a profound way.
Think about it. Total two-way trade between the United States and Mexico is nearly 300 billion dollars and Laredo, Texas is the largest inland port of entry in the United States. Nearly 50% of our trade with Mexico passes through this single border city. Try to imagine what the impact, not to Mexico, but to the United States, would be if the nine thousand trucks that cross the World Trade Bridge at Laredo each day suddenly came to a stand-still because of a terrorist attack or threat.
Think of the jobs lost here in the U.S., not Mexico, and think about the impact to consumers; again here in the U.S.
Fortunately, we have succeeded on several fronts, including the implementation of anti-terrorist and anti-smuggling programs that expedite border crossings, while ensuring that commercial traffic is free of contraband or weapons. In securing our shared border against extremists, the United States and Mexico have found common ground in a sensitive area.
In spite of our successes, our economic and cultural exchange with Mexico is threatened by the ongoing, deadly drug violence along the border. Drug cartels and the violence they bring to the region are destroying the social and economic fabric of our border communities. If that violence – from Matamoros to Tijuana – is not controlled, it will seriously undermine investment, tourism, and our citizens’ quality of life far beyond, and both North and South, of that border.
Several weeks ago I ordered the temporary closing of our consulate in Nuevo Laredo following a gun battle between rival drug cartels and a home invasion involving military-style weaponry. The closure allowed our security personnel time to assess the risks to our American and Mexican employees as well as citizens of both countries who visit the consulate for assistance. The consulate reopened for business only after I had received assurances from the highest levels of the Mexican government that resources would be committed to ensuring the safety of our people.
Some have said that I ordered the shutdown to punish the Mexican government for its failure to control violence in the region. And in a sense that’s true…. and I’ve been clear, my primary responsibility as ambassador is the safety of United States citizens, and I won’t hesitate to take action when they are at risk.
I also took that action in order to emphasize that the security of the border region can be a joint effort and that simply finger-pointing would not be productive. The United States is committed to doing its part to restore law and order to the border region and we recognize the cooperation and commitment we are seeing from the Fox administration in this effort.
But leaders on both sides of the border realize that we cannot allow drug kingpins and thugs to control that strip of land that represents the dramatic point of convergence in our shared vision of a secure and prosperous North America. The longer that violence continues, the tougher it becomes for many Americans to talk about Mexicans as our trusted partners with mutual interests. An aggressive response to border violence is one way to help avoid talk of building walls, when we are all better served by building bridges…
And Mexico is indeed a crucial bridge, both literally and culturally, to the rest of Latin America. One of the best ways to increase prosperity is by breaking down trade barriers and allowing for the creation of more competitive jobs and lower prices for consumers.
The United States has signed landmark free trade agreements with Chile and, just this month, with Central America and the Dominican Republic. Talks with Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru for an Andean trade accord are underway, and we are currently engaged in full trade negotiations with Panama.
These efforts should demonstrate the United States’ engagement in Latin America. We are committed to the ideal of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement of the Americas as a way to improve the lives of people from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. The American people have also supported international loan and aid packages for Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina and the Dominican Republic during turbulent periods.
President Bush’s global Millennium Challenge Account substantially increases U.S. development assistance and rewards countries that commit to ruling justly, investing in their people, and encouraging free trade. In fact, Honduras and Nicaragua were among the first countries to sign compacts with the United States under this initiative and Bolivia and Paraguay are seeking agreements with us as well.
Make no mistake: Americans are generous people. We engage in development projects and international aid not simply as part of a cold calculus meant to shore up failing governments, but as a way of sharing the bounty with which we have been blessed.
Around the hemisphere people welcome cultural exchange of art and music, personal contact with students and tourists, and dialogue with economic and civic leaders from the United States. This sort of cultural diplomacy carries our message and provides concrete examples of who we are as a nation, as a people. It allows folks around the hemisphere to associate the U.S. with a set of values… it gives us a face…
Without these exchanges, we are often seen as hemispheric firefighters, arriving in the midst of chaos, putting out the flames, and withdrawing again. This may take care of the immediate need, but we are squandering an additional opportunity to show the U.S. at its best, to talk about our country as we pull out our checkbooks… to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to development in the region… to build bridges, instead of simply offering bailouts…
After centuries of upheaval and revolution in the New World, we have come to recognize what can happen when economic promise goes unfulfilled. If economies fail to deliver, people lose hope and faith in their public institutions, turning away from both trade and democracy and toward the sort of demagoguery that has too often plagued Latin America.
This has been the story in Venezuela, where democracy now faces a serious test, and in Cuba, the last outpost of tyranny in a hemisphere of democracies, a country where its Dictator has stubbornly resisted any movement toward openness, respect for human rights, or fundamental freedoms for Cuba’s people.
The coming year will be crucial in the evolution of Latin American democracy. Several countries are facing national elections, including Mexico. For only the second time in living memory, Mexican voters will cast their ballots in elections that will be transparent and competitive – and the outcome uncertain... Mexico’s political system has not been “revolutionized” in the dramatic ways that many expected when Vicente Fox was elected in July of 2000, but the changes have been significant.
Independent federal and state electoral bodies now provide oversight for free and fair elections and monitor campaign spending. The legislature and judiciary have played greater roles in policy making and review and President Fox has respected the constitutionally mandated role of the presidency. The press plays an important role by generating discussion and sparking investigation instead of simply reproducing party slogans.
These changes may seem minor, but taken together, they mean that Mexicans are moving toward a form of governance that truly gives them a voice in their institutions and that respects all its’ branches of government – and yes, it even means that Mexicans are occasionally frustrated by something new: good ol’ American gridlock.
President Bush’s vision is of a hemisphere that is secure, prosperous, and democratic. We are encouraging the evolution of democracy and the amazing transformation it brings, seeking ways to spread its benefits across all levels of society. We can and should work towards generating a new “Dream of the Americas” for all the people of the hemisphere while continuing to be a beacon to the world… certainly ambitious, but worth of the man after whom this dinner is named.
Again, thank you all for the opportunity to visit with you tonight. To Tom and Joy, my thanks to you and to the Board of Trustees for honoring me with this extraordinary award. Enjoy the evening and may God bless us all.
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