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FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4911
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 000185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MX
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT CALDERON CALLS FOR GREATER FOREIGN 
POLICY LEADERHIP, PARTICULARLY IN LATIN AMERICA 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: During the January 9-10 annual meeting of 
Mexican ambassadors and counsels, President Calderon 
envisioned Mexico's foreign policy as "more of Mexico in the 
world and more of the world in Mexico."  He told his 
country's top diplomats to execute a "responsible and active 
foreign policy," calling on Mexico to assume leadership 
positions in international and regional forums--particularly 
in Latin America--and conduct respectful relations with all 
countries.  He urged the global expansion of democratic 
values and human rights, emphasized the need to compete 
effectively in a world to which Mexico is more connected than 
ever before, and imagined a Mexico that would become a magnet 
for international investment and tourism.  With regard to the 
U.S., Calderon said relations would be based on realism and 
that migration reform would no longer form the center of 
bilateral relations.  Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa 
Cantellano echoed Calderon's message and stated that Mexico 
also wishes to normalize relations with Cuba and Venezuela. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Secretary Espinosa presided over the 18th conference 
of Mexico's top diplomats that took place at the Secretariat 
of Foreign Relations (SRE) January 9-10.  68 ambassadors and 
56 counsels attended the meeting, along with Interior 
Secretary Francisco Javier Ramirez Acuna, Public Security 
 
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Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna, Attorney General Eduardo Medina 
 
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Mora, Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens, Economy Secretary 
Eduardo Sojo, Public Education Secretary Josefina Vazquez 
Mota, Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo, and Sergio Vela, 
Chairman of the National Council for Culture and the Arts. 
President Calderon appeared at the meeting January 10, 
accompanied by most members of his cabinet, Supreme Court 
Chief Justice Guillermo Ortiz Mayagoitia, and Senate and 
Chamber of Deputies Presidents Manlio Fabio Beltrones and 
Jorge Zermeno. 
 
¶3. (U) Speaking at the conference on January 10, President 
Calderon called for a unified diplomatic corps representing 
one national foreign policy that would work to recover 
Mexico's international leadership.   He remarked, "I will not 
stand for humiliation or offense for Mexico, nor will I 
harbor any grudges or resentment against anyone.  It is in 
Mexicans' best interest that the government maintains 
positive relations with all countries in the region, without 
exception, and we will do so without sacrificing any of the 
principles in which we believe."  Regarding U.S.-Mexico 
relations, Calderon stated that Mexico would act with an 
"awareness of our national interests" but said that migration 
should no longer dominate bilateral relations.  Calderon 
asked his diplomatic corps to work to attract investment for 
Mexico adding that, when faced with investor doubts, they 
should speak of the GOM's commitment to combating crime and 
insecurity.  Mexican press reported that Undersecretary for 
North America Carlos Rico instructed Mexico's ambassadors and 
counsels in North America to change their bilateral 
strategies with the United States and Canada and focus on the 
promotion of Mexico, and in the United States to maintain 
strong ties with the U.S. Congress, trade unions, religious 
organizations, business representatives, and the Latino 
community, among others. 
 
¶4. (U) Echoing the President's message, Secretary Espinosa 
set as a goal increasing Mexico's leadership abroad and said 
the GOM would look to hold key positions in international 
organizations.  She said the SRE would prioritize the fight 
against global terrorism and transnational crime, reverse 
Mexico's loss of economic and political influence abroad, and 
seek opportunities to contribute to Mexico's domestic 
development.  Espinosa also confirmed the administration's 
wish to significantly improve Mexico's relations with Cuba 
and Venezuela, noting that Mexico has historically had 
friendly relations with these states and wants to amend any 
differences with them.  In response, some members of the PAN 
political party, including PAN Director for International 
Relations Rodrigo Ivan Cortes, expressed concern about how 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez might respond to the 
overture. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Calderon was the first Mexican president to 
attend the SRE's annual meeting of national dignitaries, 
signaling that foreign policy would be an important area for 
the new government.  The three key substantive points 
discussed were the administration's desire to assume a 
leadership role in Latin America, normalize relations with 
 
MEXICO 00000185  002 OF 002 
 
 
Venezuela and Cuba, and remove migration as the defining 
issue of U.S.-Mexico relations.  It seems doubtful that the 
GOM expects either Venezuela or Cuba to respond positively to 
its offer of improved relations, but Calderon is showing that 
he is taking Mexico's foreign policy in a new direction from 
that of the Fox administration and does not want to alienate 
anyone in the region at this early stage.  During his 
subsequent trip to Nicaragua for the inauguration of 
President Daniel Ortega, President Calderon stated that 
Mexico's future lies in Latin America; in an interview, 
Secretary Espinosa said that the GOM's renewed interest in 
 
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Latin America would not affect Mexico's relations with the 
U.S. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity 
GARZA