VZCZCXRO6350
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHMC #0359/01 2712142
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 282142Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL MONTERREY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3951
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0049
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHXC/ALL USCONS MEXICO
RUEHMC/AMCONSUL MONTERREY 9558

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000359 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ONDCP FOR WARD/HITTLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECIN PGOV ECON SNAR MX
SUBJECT: BORDER GOVERNORS SEEK TO INCREASE REGIONAL INTEGRATION 
 
REF: MONTERREY 297 
 
MONTERREY 00000359  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.    (SBU)  Summary.  On September 2-4, the annual Border 
Governors Conference took place in Monterrey.  The event, hosted 
by Nuevo Leon Governor Gonzalez Paras, featured participation 
from New Mexico Governor Richardson, California Governor 
Schwarzenegger (via DVC), Ambassador Pascual, DHS Border Czar 
Bersin, and ONDCP Director Kerlikowske, Foreign Minister 
Espinoza, Mexican Ambassador Sarukhan, and the Mexican Governors 
of Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas. 
Conference discussions focused on economic, environmental, and 
infrastructure issues facing all ten border states.  The 
highlight of the event was the approval of a Strategic Master 
Plan for Competitive and Sustainable Development drawn up by the 
Woodrow Wilson Center and Mexico's Colegio de la Frontera Norte. 
 In addition, conference delegations approved a resolution, 
supported by the U.S. NGO Culture of Lawfulness (an INL 
grantee), calling for a border-wide approach to rule of law 
projects.   End Summary. 
 
¶2.   (SBU)    The Border Governor's Conference (BGC) is a 
bi-national venue dedicated to the discussion and resolution of 
border issues that impact the U.S. and Mexico.  The first 
conference was convened in Juarez, Chihuahua in 1980 and since 
then a conference has taken place nearly every year.  At 
conference sessions, worktables bring together experts to study 
problems and make recommendations for such issues as the 
environment, education, logistics, trade, energy, agriculture, 
economic development, security, health, and water.  In addition, 
the Governors themselves meet in executive sessions to discuss 
these same topics.  To avoid distraction and controversy, Nuevo 
Leon organizers explicitly did not include an agenda item 
dealing with `the border', as the border itself was not a 
geopolitical entity. 
 
¶3.   (SBU)   While the conference focus is on state governments, 
USG agencies attending this year's September 2-4 conference in 
Monterrey included State, DoD (Northcom), DHS -- CBP, DHS -- 
ICE, ONDCP, USDA, DHS,GSA, and FEMA.  Mexican federal agencies 
represented included SRE, the Secretariat of Communications and 
Transportation (SCT), the National Council on Science and 
Technology (CONACYT), the Secretariat of Gobernacion (SEGOB), 
the National Water Commission (CONAGUA),  the Secretariat of 
Energy, and the Secretariat of Health.  Indeed, USG participants 
outnumbered all the individual U.S. state government 
participants combined, as the Governors of Texas, California, 
and Arizona did not appear in person, with the last two 
cancelling their participation at the last minute. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)   The Conference Chair -- Nuevo Leon Governor Jose 
Natividad Gonzalez Paras -- actively sought input and 
participation from U.S. federal government attendees, 
particularly with respect to various projects (dealing with 
logistics and border crossings, science and technology, tourism, 
security, emergency and civil protection, water, energy, the 
environment, and health) which fell under U.S. and Mexican 
federal jurisdiction.  For instance, the state of Nuevo Leon 
sought to gain support for strategic development of its Colombia 
crossing once the USG approved Webb County, Texas's application 
for a international rail bridge permit. 
 
¶5.   (SBU)   Pursuant to Conference procedures, each country's 
state co-chair, i.e., for 2009 the state of Nuevo Leon and the 
state of Arizona, was to have distributed a list and description 
of these projects to its national government for interagency 
review.   The state of Arizona, however, did not do this prior 
to the Monterrey meeting.  After the conference, ConOff proposed 
to Nuevo Leon state organizers that each country's co-chair 
distribute  relevant Conference work documents to the nearest 
U.S. Consulate, which could then forward items to the U.S. 
Embassy in Mexico City and to Washington.  While Nuevo Leon 
concurred with this approach, in order for it to carry forward 
Baja California, the next Mexican co-chair, would need to agree 
to the same. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)   In his intervention, the Ambassador proposed that, 
in conjunction with the Mexican Ambassador to the United States, 
he organize a workshop in Mexico City to discuss with GOM 
officials how to advance action on the Indicative Plan.  (A 
similar session was held in Mexico City during spring 2008 but 
with Mexican federal government leaders.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU)   The key achievement of the September 2-4 session was 
the adoption of the Strategic Master Plan for Competitive and 
Sustainable Development drawn up by the Woodrow Wilson Center 
and Mexico's Colegio de la Frontera Norte.  In addition, 
conference delegations approved a resolution, supported by the 
U.S. NGO Culture of Lawfulness (an INL grantee), calling for a 
border-wide approach to rule of law projects. 
 
MONTERREY 00000359  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶8.   (SBU)   Comment.   Given the USG's comprehensive approach 
to U.S.-Mexico relations, greater attention will need to be paid 
to the Border Governor's Conference.  The sheer grass-roots, 
political energy represented at the state level constitutes a 
tremendous resource that cannot, and should not, be wasted.  In 
addition, leveraging state government efforts will help 
Washington and Mexico City create the infrastructure and doing 
business environment necessary to generated increased economic 
opportunity and growth in both countries.  With the next full 
meeting set for summer 2009 in Arizona and the call by governors 
for greater federal participation in relevant border issues, a 
larger USG focus on Border Governor's Conference proceedings 
could be a key element in moving forward constructive conference 
proposals in a wide variety of areas. 
 
¶9.  (U)   The Ambassador has cleared the text of this cable. 
WILLIAMSON