VZCZCXRO5155
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #6218/01 3522211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 182211Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9955
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2350

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 006218 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMEX ECON CA MX SENV
SUBJECT: MEXICO SUPPORTS UPDATING AGREEMENT ON NATURAL 
DISASTER COOPERATION 
 
¶1.  The Government of Mexico welcomes the opportunity to 
expand bilateral cooperation to respond to natural or 
man-made disasters and to update the 1980 agreement entitled 
"Agreement between the Government of the United States of 
America and the Government of the United Mexican States on 
Cooperation in Cases of Natural Disasters."  The Calderon 
Administration has demonstrated a refreshing openness in 
accepting international aid in response to national 
disasters, and a justifiable pride that Mexico has delivered 
aid to help its neighbors during similar crises, such as 
Hurricane Katrina and recent fires in Southern California. 
This open door in dealing with natural disasters is 
consistent with the unprecedented practical cooperation 
Mission is experiencing across the broad spectrum of our 
relationship - in law enforcement (anti-narcotics, 
anti-organized crime), disaster response, and facilitating 
legitimate trade (e.g. March 2007 Bush-Calderon agreement in 
Merida committing both governments to cooperate to facilitate 
the flow of legitimate commerce across our common border). 
Disaster relief is the latest example of GOM interest in 
working practically with the USG to address shared problems 
across our common border. 
 
¶2.  Reftel demarche was delivered December 17 by poloff and 
USAID's Mission Disaster Relief Officer in a meeting with the 
Mexican Foreign Ministry's (SRE) Alejandro Estivill Castro, 
Director General of the North American Office, and Maximo 
Romero Jimenez, Deputy Director of the Economic Relations and 
International Cooperation Unit.  Mexican officials expressed 
strong interest in reviving the U.S.-Mexican 1980 agreement 
on natural disasters as follow-up to last August's SPP 
meeting in Montebello.  Estivill noted that the 1980 
agreement was out-of-date )- several Mexican institutions 
identified no longer exist )- and doesn't fully tap the 
potential for us to do more cooperatively to better address 
natural disasters.  He maintained the GOM would seek to 
develop draft amendments to our 1980 agreement that SRE could 
discuss with Emboffs the week of 1/21 and with Washington 
counterparts the week of 1/28.  Estivill envisioned Mexico's 
delegation to Washington being led by the Director of SRE's 
Economic Relations and International Cooperation Unit 
accompanied by representatives from Mexico's Ministry of 
Government/Office of Civil Protection, Health Ministry, 
Environmental Ministry, Ministry of Social Development, the 
Armed Forces (Army and Navy), Finance Ministry, and Ministry 
of Communication and Transportation. 
 
¶3.  Estivill was aware that USAID had sponsored a number of 
seminars over the past year in Central America and the 
Caribbean to better prepare for and respond to natural 
disasters.  He conveyed Mexico's desire to work with its SPP 
partners to foster a deeper sense of a "North American 
identity" part and parcel of which we would coordinate 
efforts to assist other nations in the region on natural 
disaster relief.  Romero mentioned that Mexico's Congress was 
working on legislation to create a new, semi-autonomous 
office within the Foreign Ministry that would receive and 
administer foreign assistance targeted for disaster relief in 
Mexico, but which would also obtain GOM funding to extend 
disaster relief to other States in need.  Notwithstanding the 
obstacles, he hoped Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. could begin 
to consider creating a joint fund for disaster relief in the 
region in furtherance of the concept of a North American 
identity.  He acknowledged it was probably premature to 
address this kind of mechanism in the context of our current 
agreement. 
 
¶4.  The SRE's Deputy Director for North America, Sergio 
Zapata, wondered about Canada's role in discussing natural 
disaster relief in the context of the SPP.  USAID's Mission 
Disaster Relief Officer explained that we considered it 
simpler to discuss these matters bilaterally first in the 
context of our respective cooperation agreements.  Once those 
agreements were renewed, we would all be in a better position 
to coordinate and reconcile our efforts on a trilateral 
level.  Estivill appreciated this approach and signaled 
Mexico would approach Canada similarly on a bilateral level 
to ensure Mexico's agreement with the Canadians was updated. 
 
¶5.  David Najera, the SRE's Advisor on Special Issues (Drug 
Trafficking, TIP, etc.) understood NorthCom assumed a role in 
the U.S. domestically and internationally in facilitating 
disaster relief.  He urged we consider the role "security" 
assumes in addressing disaster relief and recommended we 
reflect on how to ensure NorthCom's special role is 
considered as we move forward in discussing how to improve 
our cooperation.  USAID's Mission Disaster Relief Officer 
spoke to the contribution NorthCom makes to disaster relief 
efforts.  USAID, under the direction of the Embassy Front 
Office, assumes the lead for coordinating USG assistance 
overseas on natural disasters, including NorthCom. 
 
MEXICO 00006218  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  Mexico-U.S. relations on disaster relief coordination 
stand at an all-time high.  The Calderon Administration's 
first experience in disaster management came a few months ago 
with Hurricane Dean.  Embassy senior management worked 
directly with Mexican counterparts to explain how the USG 
delivers emergency assistance through grants, primarily 
through NGOs, yet expects to coordinate all assistance 
efforts through the GOM.  Mexico accepted U.S. assistance for 
Hurricane Dean, and used those lessons in a broader 
international relief response to the recent floods in Tabasco 
and Chiapas.  In the case of these massive floods, SRE 
reached out to the broader international community, and 
requested specific assistance from the U.S.  (Note. The GOM 
has been reluctant about this kind of approach in the past. 
End Note.) This unprecedented relationship can be attributed, 
at least in part, to more open communication at all levels 
and a clear understanding that it is perfectly normal for 
countries to help their neighbors since each has its share of 
natural disasters that directly or indirectly affect the 
other.  Mexico was pleased to have been able to assist the 
U.S. during the recent California fires and following 
Hurricane Katrina in 2005. On December 14, the SRE and 
Tabasco State officials gave international donors a two hour 
presentation on how international funds were used to respond 
to the floods and the progress achieved to date. 
 
¶7.  Comment.  Mexico is serious about reviving and revising 
our 1980 agreement on national disasters.  It sees ways we 
can better define our efforts while keeping the agreement 
flexible.  The national government recognizes there are many 
city-to-city and state-to-state efforts to respond to 
localized disasters (floods, fires, etc.). GOM officials 
recognized that the national government does not want to 
hinder these city and state level activities, yet there is a 
need for better communication and coordination between local 
and federal levels.  SRE welcomes our seeking to update the 
agreement as a deliverable for the February meeting at the 
Minister-level, but recognizes the limited time to accomplish 
that.  Mexico requested we identify a contact office/person 
in the Washington that its Embassy could approach on this 
matter.  The GOM also requested we let them know which USG 
offices will participate in the meeting in Washington in 
January; providing that info may also prompt them to cut back 
on their numbers.  Embassy Mexico suggests that much of the 
preliminary discussions can be held in Mexico City with 
Embassy staff representing USG interests.  We will develop 
for Washington's consideration a list of elements we would 
suggest be integrated into an updated agreement and would 
like to proceed with discussions here to better lay the 
ground work for productive formal meetings in Washington that 
result in a revised bilateral agreement. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American 
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
BASSETT