VZCZCXRO4585
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHMC #0297/01 2161826
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041826Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL MONTERREY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3865
INFO RUEHMC/AMCONSUL MONTERREY 9461
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 4936
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAEPA/EPA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO ONDCP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI SNAR ETRD SENV SCUL SMIG EIND EINV ECON
PREL, PGOV, MX 
SUBJECT: MONTERREY TO HOST 2009 BORDER GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE 
 
MONTERREY 00000297  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  Summary.   The 17th annual Border Governor's Conference, 
slated for September 2 - 4 in Monterrey, is billed as the 
largest bi-national venue of its kind.  The governors of all ten 
border states, joined by Foreign Minister Espinosa and Mexican 
Ambassador Sarukhan, are expected to attend this meeting to 
address issues affecting this unique border region that shares 
strong cultural and environmental ties.  Many agreements are 
undertaken on the state-to-state level and this year's 
conference will feature recommendations from 13 working groups 
on the environment, wildlife protection, education, logistics 
and international crossings, energy, agriculture, economic 
development, border security, emergency and civil protection, 
health, science and technology, tourism, and water.  The 
conference will also introduce a new Border Strategic Master 
Plan that will serve as the roadmap for bi-national cooperation 
along the border.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  The U.S.-Mexico border region is the focal point of most of 
the major social, economic and environmental issues facing both 
countries.  The border includes the U.S. states of California, 
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas and the Mexican states of Baja 
California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and 
Tamaulipas.  With a rapidly growing population currently at 83 
million, the region is facing increased demands for 
infrastructure and environmental challenges and opportunities at 
all levels of government.  The region remains an economic 
powerhouse - border states GDP currently accounts for 25% of the 
total of both countries.  (Note:  The definition of the border 
region used by the conference - the entirety of the 10 states 
along the border - differs from the North American Development 
Bank (NADB) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission 
(BECC) definition which only includes a swath of territory 100km 
deep on the U.S. side and 300km deep on the Mexican side.  End 
Note. ) 
 
 
 
¶3.  While many issues will be discussed at the conference, 
security, the economy and the environment will take precedence. 
Violence in the border has risen dramatically since President 
Calderon started his offensive against the drug cartels. 
Narco-related deaths will likely reach a record in 2009 and 
Mexico has seen more drug violence spill over into civil 
society.  All states along the border are actively pressuring 
their respective federal governments to do more to curb 
narco-related violence and will likely request additional 
federal funding.  The border states are also looking for ways to 
share resources and information between law enforcement agencies 
on a state level.  Previously, the Border Governor's Conference 
had pushed for the formation of an informal mechanism of 
contacts between federal, state, and local police on both sides 
of the border.  While such an organization was created, given 
concerns from the U.S. side about the transparency and 
reliability of Mexican interlocutors that effort appears to have 
stalled.  Two specific issues expected to be raised by Mexican 
states at the upcoming meeting are the importation of weapons 
and bulk cash into Mexico. 
 
 
 
¶4.  On the second issue of the economy, Northern Mexican states, 
where many American businesses and maquilas are located, are 
highly dependent on trade with the United States.  Oftentimes up 
to 90% of the state's exports will head north and a surprising 
large number of these transactions are with a neighboring U.S. 
border state.  The members of the economic development working 
group plan to offer recommendations on how to improve 
competitiveness in the region and save employment during the 
economic recession.  In 2009, Mexico's economy will likely fall 
far more than the U.S. economy.  Most economists feel the worse 
of the recession is over, but the border states are preparing to 
cope with a long recovery period. 
 
 
 
¶5.  For the third major issue, the environment, the conference 
 
MONTERREY 00000297  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
will highlight energy and water concerns.  The border region has 
water-limited conditions and conservation measures and projects 
to increase water supply are essential.  As for energy, the 
border governor's representatives will be looking for ways to 
promote renewable energy sources and to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions from the area's factories.  The northern Mexican 
states are already leading Mexico's efforts to promote clean 
technologies.  They will look to expand these projects as they 
view environmentally-friendly production essential for continued 
growth in the region.  The U.S. states have a strong incentive 
to cooperate on environmental issues since pollution on one side 
of the border hardly ever remains on the same side. 
 
 
 
¶6.  The highlight of the conference will be the presentation of 
the Border Area Strategic Master Plan (or "Plan Indicativo" in 
Spanish) by the Woodrow Wilson International Center and Mexico's 
Colegio de la Frontera Norte.  Focused around the major issues 
of competitiveness, sustainability and security, the Strategic 
Master Plan aims to be the roadmap for creating an open, 
efficient and high functioning border area.  The plan will 
consist of concrete medium and long term goals that will 
encompass all relevant stakeholders in government, the private 
sector and academia.   Nuevo Leon Governor Jose Natividad 
Gonzalez Paras had hoped that the binational Pacific Council 
would be able to release its recommendations on U.S.-Mexico 
relations at the Border Governor's Conference, but it now 
appears that the Pacific Council document will be launched 
separately. 
 
 
 
¶7.  Comment:  The organizers of this year's conference have 
welcomed USG Executive branch participation in the conference. 
(At previous conferences, state-level officials were not 
completely informed of federal opinions and regulations.) 
Additionally, many of the resolutions from the conference will 
call on federal governments to take action.  If your office is 
interested in sending a representative, please contact 
Monterrey's  Political and Economic Officer Tim Hall at 
HallTO@state.gov.  End Comment. 
WILLIAMSONB