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R 142218Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8959
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 000829 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECIN ECON MX APECO ETRD
SUBJECT: FOLLOWING THE APEC ROAD MAP 
 
REF: 06 STATE 14967 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Econoff and Econ Specialist met February 9 
with the Director of Multilateral and Regional Negotiations 
for the Mexican Secretariat of Economy Flavia Farinetti de 
Wiechers to discuss APEC 2006 initiatives and agenda. 
Farinetti said that the GOM strongly supports Vietnam's road 
map.  She said that although they understand the strong tie 
between security and economic prosperity, the Foreign 
Ministry maintains the belief that APEC is not the proper 
forum for security issues.  At this time, the GOM does not 
support the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific but Farinetti 
noted that this could change pending a future review.  End 
Summary 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Econoff and Econ Specialist met February 9 with 
Director of Multilateral and Regional Negotiations for the 
Mexican Secretariat of Economy Flavia Farinetti de Wiechers 
to discuss APEC 2006 initiatives and agenda.  Farinetti 
offered to have a follow-up meeting once the new Director 
General of that division is named to replace Gerardo 
Traslosheros, who recently left to become Mexico's 
Representative to the OECD in Paris.  Farinetti said the 
current GOM agenda is consistent with Vietnam's priorities. 
She mentioned that liberalizing trade and investment, working 
on the WTO Doha Development Agenda, and strengthening 
technical cooperation were especially important.  She hoped 
that the APEC community would continue working on the goals 
they established in Busan and Bogor. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Farinetti said the GOM understands that security and 
trade are intertwined, and they try to ensure that security 
matters don't become an obstacle to trade.  She stated that 
the Foreign Ministry (SRE) strongly believes that APEC is not 
the right forum in which to address security issues unless 
they are related to other important economic initiatives. 
Farinetti pointed out that there are no high-ranking 
officials in the GOM that are able to address national 
security issues in APEC.  However, the Secretariat of Economy 
and the SRE both participate in an inter-ministerial 
committee that works on terrorism issues. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Although Farinetti expects further integration of 
the region by 2010, she believes the GOM is not going to 
press for a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).  She 
believes only Chile and the Oceania countries are strongly 
supporting the FTAAP.  The GOM is more realistic and doesn't 
believe the region is prepared for a free trade agreement 
(FTA).  However, she believes if a mid-term review of the 
road map is positive, the GOM could change its mind. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Another reason the GOM is apprehensive about a FTAAP 
is that many countries are negotiating bilateral FTAs, 
including Mexico.  Despite the Mexican Executive's mandate to 
postpone signing of more FTAs, the GOM continues to negotiate 
a bilateral agreement with Korea.  In addition, the GOM has 
also approached China on a future agreement.  Farinetti 
admitted that the GOM faces strong opposition from Mexican 
businessmen on both agreements.  However, she continues to 
spend about 50 percent of her time and resources working 
towards a deal with China. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Farinetti told Econoff and Econ Specialist that her 
days in Mexico City are numbered.  Traslosheros has asked her 
to work in his office in Paris and she will likely accept and 
leave her current position in May.  She believes the July 
Mexican elections will have little bearing on the GOM's 
current APEC initiatives or on many bilateral initiatives. 
The work of her office is so technical that Farinetti can't 
imagine any of the candidates changing the GOM's positions or 
initiatives in APEC.  However, she admitted the new Director 
General has the ability to make some small changes to their 
agenda. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Farinetti wasn't extremely forthcoming on 
the GOM's specific agenda.  We believe the Secretariat of 
Economy still is waiting for the new Director General to be 
named and to meet with the SRE before finalizing its 
initiatives.  Also, Farinetti seems to prefer working on APEC 
issues with her Washington interlocutors.  Within our 
bilateral relationship, the U.S. and Mexico are working on a 
number of the issues mentioned in reftel within the Security 
and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and other regional fora. 
 
 
 
 
 
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MEXICO 00000829  002 OF 002 
 
 
KELLY