U.S. Department of State
96/05/06 Remarks upon arrival Mexico City for US-Mexico Binational
Office of the Spokesman


                            U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
 
                           OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN 
                            (Mexico City, Mexico) 
___________________________________________________________________ 
For Immediate Release                                  May  6, 1996 
Text As Prepared For Delivery 
 
 
            REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER  
                         UPON ARRIVAL MEXICO CITY. 
 
                     US-MEXICO BINATIONAL COMMISSION 
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen.  It is a great honor for me to visit Mexico once 
again, and a great pleasure to be joined by eight of my Cabinet 
colleagues and senior representatives of three other Cabinet agencies --
the most ever to attend a meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Binational 
Commission.   
 
The Binational Commission and our agenda reflect the extraordinary 
importance of the relationship between our two nations.  For the United 
States, our work with Mexico through the Binational Commission has no 
parallel in our relations with any other country.  For the people of the 
United States and Mexico, our cooperation brings economic opportunity.  
It brings cleaner air and water.  It brings greater safety from crime, 
violence, and drugs.  We are linked by history, geography and the 
millions of people who trade and travel across our common border.  We 
can only prosper as nations if we work together as friends and partners. 
 
President Clinton understands that the United States has a vital 
interest in a stable, prosperous, and democratic Mexico.  Last year, he 
acted decisively to mobilize support for Mexico during its financial 
crisis.  President Zedillo has also acted decisively -- and courageously 
-- to sustain economic reform and to strengthen the rule of law.  Thanks 
to these efforts and to the determination of the Mexican people, Mexico 
is back on the path of economic growth, with stronger foundations than 
ever before. 
 
Under the leadership of our two Presidents, the United States and Mexico 
have strengthened our partnership across the board and provided 
leadership to the region.  Today and tomorrow, we will advance our 
practical cooperation on trade, on migration and civil rights, on the 
fight against crime and narcotics, on the environment, on education, 
energy, health and a host of other issues.  We will show once again that 
this is a relationship that produces concrete benefits for the people of 
the United States and for the people of Mexico. 
 
On behalf of all my colleagues, let me say that we look forward to our 
visit, to our meetings with President Zedillo and with all our 
counterparts in the Mexican government, and to another successful 
session of the Binational Commission.