Wayzata World Factbook 1995/World Factbook - 1995 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1995).iso/mac/text/Build/orig BACKGR/BNOT0075.TXT

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National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : ST BNOTES MEXICO
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994

AGENCY      : U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PROGRAM     : BACKGROUND NOTES
TITLE       : Background Notes - MEXICO

Source key      : ST
Program key     : ST BNOTES
Update sched.   : Occasionally
Data type       : TEXT
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941018
Keywords 3      :
Keywords 3      : | MEXICO

BACKGROUND NOTES:  MEXICO
PUBLISHED BY THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

APRIL 1994
Official Name:  United Mexican States


PROFILE

Geography
Area:  1,972,500 sq. km. (761,600 sq. mi.); about three times the
size of Texas.  Cities:  Capital--Mexico City (15 million, 1990
census).  Other cities--Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Leon.
Terrain:  Coastal lowlands, central high plateaus, and mountains
up to 5,400 m. (18,000 ft.).
Climate:  Tropical to desert.

People
Nationality:  Noun and adjective--Mexican(s).
Population (1994 est.):  92 million.  Annual growth rate:  2%.
Ethnic groups:  Indian-Spanish (mestizo) 60%, Indian 30%,
Caucasian 9%, other 1%.
Religions:  Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 5%, other 5%.
Language:  Spanish.
Education:  Years compulsory--12.  Literacy--90%.
Health:  Infant mortality rate--27/1,000.  Life expectancy--male
69 yrs., female 76 yrs.
Labor force (33 million):  Services--29%.  Agriculture, forestry,
hunting, fishing--27%.  Manufacturing--16%.  Construction--6%.
Merchandising--5%.  Mining and quarrying--5%.  Transportation and
communication--4%.  Other--7%.

Government
Type:  Federal republic.
Independence:  First proclaimed September 16, 1810; republic
established 1824.
Constitution:  February 5, 1917.
Branches:  Executive--president (chief of state and head of
government).  Legislative--bicameral.  Judicial--Supreme Court,
local and federal systems.
Political parties:  Institutional Revolutionary Party, National
Action Party, Party of the Democratic Revolution, Popular
Socialist Party, Authentic Party of the Mexican Revolution, Party
of the Cardenist Front of National Reconstruction, Labor Party,
Mexican Green Ecology Party, Mexico Democratic Party.
Suffrage:  Universal at 18.
Administrative subdivisions:  31 states and a Federal District.

Flag:  Green, white, and red vertical bands.  Centered is an
eagle perching on a cactus and holding a snake in its beak.

Economy
GDP (1993):  $356 billion.
Per capita GDP:  $4,000.
Avg. annual real GDP growth (1989-93):  3%.
Natural resources:  Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc,
natural gas, timber.
Agriculture:  Products--corn, beans, oilseeds, feedgrains, fruit,
cotton, coffee, sugarcane, winter vegetables.
Industry:  Types--manufacturing, services, commerce,
transportation and communications, petroleum and mining.
Trade (1993):  Exports--$52 billion:  manufacturing 80%,
petroleum and derivatives 14%, agriculture 5%, other 1%.
Imports--$65 billion:  intermediate goods 71%, capital goods 17%,
consumer goods 12%.  Major trading partners--U.S., EU, Japan.
U.S. imports--$40 billion.
Current market exchange rate (April 1994):  3.36 new pesos
(introduced January 1993)=$1.


PEOPLE
Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the
world; it is the second most populous country in Latin America
after Portuguese-speaking Brazil.  About 70% of the people live
in urban areas.  Many Mexicans emigrate from rural areas that
lack job opportunities--such as the underdeveloped southern
states and the crowded central plateau--to the industrialized
urban centers and the developing areas along the U.S.-Mexico
border.  According to some estimates, the population of the areas
surrounding Mexico City is about 20 million, which would make it
the largest concentration of population in the world.  Cities
bordering on the United States such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez,
and cities  in the interior such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, and
Puebla, have undergone sharp rises in population.

Education in Mexico is being decentralized and enhanced in rural
areas.  The increase in school enrollments during the past two
decades has been dramatic.  Education is mandatory from  ages six
through 18.  Primary enrollment from 1970 through 1993 increased
from less than 10 million to 15 million.  In 1993, 59% of the
population between the ages of six and 18 were enrolled in
school.  Enrollments at the secondary school level also shot up
from 1.4 million in 1972 to as many as 4 million in 1993.  This
rapid rise occurred in higher education also.  Between 1959 and
1993, college-level enrollments rose from 62,000 to 1.2 million.
Education spending has risen dramatically from 2.6% of GDP in
1988 to 4% in 1993.  The 1994 education budget is 4.4% of GDP.

Contemporary artists, architects, writers, musicians, and dancers
draw inspiration from a rich history of Indian civilization,
colonial influence, revolution, and the development of the modern
Mexican state.  Artists and intellectuals alike emphasize the
problems of social relations in a context of national and
revolutionary traditions.


HISTORY
Highly advanced cultures, including those of the Olmecs, Mayas,
Toltecs, and Aztecs, existed in Mexico long before the Spanish
conquest.  Hernando Cortes conquered Mexico during the period
1519-21 and founded a Spanish colony that lasted nearly 300
years.  Independence from Spain was proclaimed by Father Miguel
Hidalgo on September 16, 1810, and the republic was established
on December 6, 1822.

Prominent in the War for Independence were Father Jose Maria
Morelos; General Augustin de Iturbide, who defeated the Spaniards
and ruled as emperor for a short period; and General Antonio
Lopez de Santa Ana, who controlled Mexican politics from 1833 to
1855.

Santa Ana was Mexico's leader during the conflict with Texas,
which declared itself independent from Mexico in 1836, and during
Mexico's war with the United States (1846-48).  The presidential
terms of the venerated Benito Juarez (1858-71) were interrupted
by the Hapsburg monarchy's rule of Mexico.  Archduke Maximilian
of Austria, whom Napoleon III of France established as Emperor of
Mexico, was deposed by Juarez and executed in 1867.  General
Porfirio Diaz was President during most of the period between
1877 and 1910.

Mexico's severe social and economic problems erupted in the
1910-20 revolution.  Prominent leaders in this period--some were
rivals for power--were Francisco I. Madero, Venustiano Carranza,
Pancho Villa, Alvaro Obregon, Victoriano Huerta, and Emiliano
Zapata.  The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), formed in
1929 under a different name, continues to be the most important
political force in the nation.


GOVERNMENT
The Constitution of 1917 provides for a federal republic with
powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and
judicial branches.  The executive is the dominant branch, with
power vested in the president, who promulgates and executes the
laws of the Congress.  The president also legislates by executive
decree in certain economic and financial fields, using powers
delegated from the Congress.  The president is elected by
universal adult suffrage for a six-year term and may not hold
office a second time.  There is no vice president; in the event
of the removal or death of the president, a provisional president
is elected by the Congress.  The next presidential election will
be held in August 1994.

The Congress is empowered to legislate on all matters pertaining
to the national government.  Congress is composed of a Senate and
a Chamber of Deputies.  Consecutive reelection to the Congress is
prohibited; 64 senators, two from each state and the Federal
District (i.e., Mexico City), are elected to six-year terms.
Deputies serve three-year terms.  Under constitutional and
legislative reforms adopted in 1986, the Chamber of Deputies was
enlarged in 1988 from 400 to 500 members.  In 1994, the Senate
will expand to 128 seats.  In the expanded lower chamber, 300
deputies are directly elected to represent single-member
districts, and 200 are selected on an at-large basis by a
modified form of proportional representation.  The 200 at-large
seats were created to give the opposition parties more of a voice
in the Chamber of Deputies.

The judiciary is divided into federal and state court systems,
with federal courts having jurisdiction over most civil cases and
those involving major felonies.  Under the constitution, trial
and sentencing must be completed within 12 months of arrest for
crimes that would carry at least a two-year sentence.  Trial is
by judge, not jury, in nearly all criminal cases.  Defendants
have a right to counsel, and public defenders are available.
Other rights include defense against self-incrimination, the
right to confront one's accusers, and the right to a public
trial.  Supreme Court justices are appointed by the President and
approved by the Senate.

Principal Government Officials
President--Carlos Salinas de Gortari
Foreign Minister--Manuel Tello Macias
Ambassador to the U.S.--Jorge Montano Martinez
Ambassador to the United Nations--Victor Flores Olea
Ambassador to the OAS--Alejandro Carrillo Castro

Mexico maintains an embassy in the United States at 1911
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006 (tel. [phone]).
Consular offices are located at 2827 16th St. NW, 20009 (tel.
202-736-1000), and the trade office is at 1776 I St. NW, 20016
(tel. [phone]).  Consulates General are located in Chicago,
Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, and San Francisco;
consulates are (partial listing) in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit,
Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis, and Tucson.


POLITICAL CONDITIONS
For over 60 years, Mexico's Government has been controlled by the
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has won every
presidential race and most gubernatorial races.  To secure its
continuance in power, the PRI has, over the years, relied on
extensive patronage and massive government and party
organizational resources.  In some cases, it has been accused of
fraud.

Following federal elections in 1988, a total of six parties
gained representation in the Chamber of Deputies and two in the
Senate.  The combined opposition won an unprecedented 237 seats
out of a total of 500 in the lower house and four of 64 in the
upper.  The center-right Party of National Action (PAN) won the
governorship of the state of Baja California Norte in 1989.
Since 1989, the opposition has won power in at least 10% of
Mexico's municipalities.  Currently, some 12 to 15 million
Mexicans are governed by opposition authorities at the state and
local level.

In mid-term elections held in August 1991, the PRI bounced back
with a major victory.  It increased its representation to 320 in
the Chamber of Deputies and 61 in the Senate, won numerous local
and municipal offices, and based on official figures released,
won several gubernatorial contests.  However, the PAN has since
gained two more governorships, one in 1991 in Guanajuato, where
the PRI governor-elect did not take office because of accusations
of fraud, and another in 1992 when a PAN candidate won the
governorship of Chihuahua.

President Salinas began his six-year term in 1988.  Salinas,
holding a doctorate from Harvard University, was Secretary of
Programming and Budget in the De la Madrid Administration
(1982-88), where he played a prominent role in formulating
economic policy.  Significant themes of the Salinas
Administration have included adopting market-oriented economic
policies, lowering inflation and reducing the foreign debt
burden, pursuing a free trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada,
opening the political system, combatting narcotics trafficking,
bolstering environmental protection, and curtailing corruption
and human rights abuse.

President Salinas' successor will be elected in August 1994 and
take office in December.  The Mexican political scene was
affected by two unexpected events early in 1994.  In January,
indigenous peasants in the state of Chiapas briefly took up arms
against the government, proclaiming resistance to oppression by
local elites and to governmental indifference to poverty and
depressed social conditions in southern Mexico.  In March, the
PRI candidate to succeed Salinas as President, Luis Donaldo
Colosio, was assassinated in Tijuana.  The PRI nominated Ernesto
Zedillo to replace Colosio as its candidate.  The PAN candidate
in the 1994 elections is Diego Fernandez de Cevallos and the PRD
candidate is Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, son of Lazaro Cardenas,
President of Mexico from 1934-40.  There are six other
presidential candidates running on the tickets of minor parties.

The Chiapas uprising increased pressure to speed the process of
political reform initiated by the Salinas Administration.  In
March 1994, the government entered into negotiations with the
political parties to devise reforms intended to guarantee free
and fair elections.  Proposals included enhancing the
independence of electoral authorities, restricting the use of
government resources by parties, and establishing an independent
prosecutor to investigate allegations of electoral fraud.


ECONOMY
Mexico's economic growth is vital to its political prospects and
has a substantial and direct impact on the U.S. economy.  Mexico
is our third-ranked trading partner, purchasing about two-thirds
of its imports from the United States and sending about
two-thirds of its exports to the U.S.  Chief U.S. exports to
Mexico are motor vehicle parts, office equipment, and
agricultural products; top imports from Mexico include petroleum,
cars, piston engines, and coffee.  The U.S. is the source of
two-thirds of direct foreign investment in Mexico.  Both U.S.
exports and investment have increased as Mexico has progressively
opened its economy.

The Mexican Government has taken bold steps in recent years to
restructure the economy and has made impressive progress.
Monetary and fiscal discipline and a wage/price stabilization
program have reduced inflation from more than 150% in 1987, to 8%
in 1993, and to 7.1% in March 1994.  However, Mexico ended 1993
in recession due to stagnant domestic demand, declining
industrial output, and slow growth in the international economy.
This trend was exacerbated by the government's strict domestic
monetary and fiscal policies, which kept interest rates high.
Gross domestic product (GDP) shrank in the last two quarters of
1993 and overall growth for 1993 was only 0.4%, well below
original government predictions of 2.5%-3%.  Growth in per-capita
GDP was a negative 1.6%.

The Mexican economy has gradually reduced its dependence on
petroleum exports, which only accounted for 14% of 1993 exports,
down from 75% in 1982.  As another indication of its commitment
to economic reform and trade liberalization, Mexico acceded to
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1986.
Reflecting international recognition of its enhanced economic
status, Mexico also became a member of the Paris-based
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in
April 1994.

The government took steps to put public finance on a sound
footing through privatizing and deregulating state-owned
companies, eliminating subsidies to inefficient industries,
dramatically reducing tariff rates, and shrinking Mexico's
federal deficit from nearly 17% of GDP in 1987 to a federal
budget surplus equal to 0.7% of GDP in 1993.  The privatization
process is nearly complete:  The number of enterprises owned by
the Mexican Government (parastatals) has dropped from 1,155 in
1982 to 210 at the end of 1993.  Twelve more parastatals are in
the process of being sold.

On December 17, 1992, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada signed the
historic North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which went
into effect January 1, 1994.  NAFTA will generate economic growth
in all three countries by eliminating restrictions on the flow of
goods, services, and investment in North America.  This includes
phasing out tariffs over a period of up to 15 years, elimination
(as far as possible) of non-tariff barriers, and full protection
of intellectual property rights (patents, copyrights, and
trademarks).  The agreement also includes provisions covering
trade rules and dispute settlement.  NAFTA marks the first time
in the history of U.S. trade policy that environmental concerns
have been addressed in a comprehensive trade agreement.  In
addition, the parallel labor agreement with NAFTA reflects
concerns about Mexican worker's rights.

NAFTA also serves as a basis for enhancing on-going U.S.-Mexico
cooperation on a host of issues.  As the two countries stand on
the threshold of the 21st century, cooperation on issues such as
migration, environmental pollution, and narcotics control--which
do not respect national borders--is of critical importance.

Agriculture
Mexico's agrarian reform program began with the revolution, when
land was distributed to landless farmers.  Agrarian reform caused
land fragmentation and lack of capital investment, since the land
could not be used as collateral.  This, combined with poor soil,
lack of rainfall, and rural population growth has made it
difficult to raise the productivity and living standards of
subsistence farmers.

Mexico's agricultural sector continues to experience
extraordinary adjustment problems as the government seeks to move
policy away from import substitution and self-sufficiency to a
market-oriented and competitive industry.  High interest rates
for agricultural loans have compounded the difficulty for
producers.  These adjustments have led to a sharp decline in
productivity.  Agriculture accounted for only 6.5% of Mexico's
GDP in 1993, compared to 7.7% in 1991.  In addition, the number
of agricultural workers is expected to drop from 6 million to 2
million over the next generation.

In an effort to raise rural productivity and living standards,
President Salinas introduced major reforms to Article 27 of the
Mexican Constitution in 1992 which allow for the transfer of
ownership of communal land to the farmers cultivating it.  These
reforms permit farmers to sell their land or use it as loan
collateral.  The reforms also loosened restrictions on corporate
land ownership, opening the way for larger farms (and therefore
economies of scale).  Tangible benefits have yet to be seen from
these reforms, however, because implementation has been slow.

In the past, the government encouraged production of basic crops
such as corn and beans by maintaining support prices for these
products, which were up to two-and-a-half times higher than world
prices.  In order to rationalize its agricultural sector, Mexico
is abandoning its support price scheme.  The government intends
to phase out most of its support for the agricultural sector over
the 15-year NAFTA phase-in period.

To ease hardships among farmers resulting from such structural
changes, Mexico has introduced PROCAMPO, an innovative rural
support program.  Over the next 15 years, PROCAMPO will provide
the approximately 3.5 million farmers who produce basic
commodities (approximately 64% of all farmers) with a fixed
payment per hectare of cropland.  Because the payments are based
on the amount of land farmed, farmers will now have the choice of
either basing production decisions on whatever crop is most
profitable in a free market environment or exiting farming
altogether.

Energy and Minerals
The discovery of extensive oil fields in the coastal regions
along the Gulf of Mexico in 1974 enabled Mexico to become
self-sufficient in crude oil and to export significant amounts.
New reserves discovered in 1993 added 50 million barrels to
Mexico's estimated 48 billion barrel reserves (about 7% of the
world's proven reserves).  Total hydrocarbon reserves, including
natural gas, are estimated to equal another 65 billion barrels of
crude.

With crude oil production averaging 2.7 million barrels per day
during 1993, Mexico ranks as the world's fifth-largest oil
producer.  About half of the oil is refined and consumed
domestically, leaving the remainder for export.  The U.S. is
Mexico's most important oil export market, accounting for 66% of
all exports by volume in 1993.

Mexico is also rich in mineral and energy resources, and mineral
exports are an important element in foreign trade.  A leading
producer of silver, sulfur, lead, and zinc, Mexico also produces
gold, copper, manganese, coal, and iron ore.

New business opportunities are expected to open up in Mexico's
energy sector for foreign energy firms.  The state-owned
monopolies which dominate the Mexican energy sector, PEMEX (the
oil company) and CFE (the Federal Electricity Commission) are
undergoing far-reaching restructuring and are increasingly
allowing limited participation by the domestic and foreign
private sector.

Under NAFTA, PEMEX will retain its constitutional monopoly over
petroleum exploration, production, refining, and basic
petrochemicals, but the treaty will expand U.S. firms' access to
Mexico's petrochemical, gas and energy services, and equipment
markets.  NAFTA also provides significant opportunities to sell
to PEMEX under open and competitive bidding rules; it also
immediately lifts trade and investment restrictions on most
petrochemicals.

Manufacturing and Foreign Investment
Manufacturing has been hard hit by 1993's stagnant domestic
demand, increased international competition, a sharp drop in the
growth of private sector investment, and negative growth in
public sector investment.  Mexico's manufacturing sector accounts
for 23% of the GDP and 11% of jobs; this negative growth in
manufacturing during 1993 (minus 1.5%) largely explains the
overall poor performance of the 1993 economy.

On the other hand, important gains were made in the production of
cement, aluminum, synthetic fibers, chemicals, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, and paper.  The automobile industry has become
one of Mexico's most important industrial and export sectors and
is the sector best positioned to benefit from NAFTA.  Although
the auto industry slowed like the rest of the manufacturing
sector in 1993, Mexican auto exports have ballooned 37% in the
first two months of 1994 alone, rising from 55,000 cars and
trucks in January and February of 1993 to 75,590 in 1994.

Mexico made sweeping revisions of its foreign investment
regulations in 1989, which included explicit permission for
foreigners to have majority ownership in companies.  In December
1993, Mexico passed a new foreign investment law intended to
promote competitiveness, offer juridical certainty for foreign
investment in Mexico, and establish clear rules for channeling
international capital into productive activities.  The new law
permits foreigners to own non-residential property in the
"restricted zones"-- 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the border
and 50 kilometers from the coasts.  Residential property in the
zones must still be acquired via a trust through a Mexican
financial institution.  Total foreign investment in 1993 was
about $16 billion, up 87% from 1992.

Key sectors of the economy, including energy, power generation,
and railroads, remain restricted to Mexican state ownership.

Transportation and Communications
The Salinas Administration is attempting to modernize
infrastructure and services, deregulate and develop more
efficient transport systems, and privatize all sectors allowed
under the constitution.

Mexico's land transportation network is one of the most extensive
in Latin America.  Under the Salinas Administration, over 4,000
kilometers (2,400 miles) of four-lane highway have been built
through government concessions to private sector contractors.
Tampico and Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico are Mexico's two
primary ports.  Recognizing that the low productivity of Mexico's
79 ports poses a threat to trade development, the government
plans to privatize port operations to improve their efficiency.
A number of international airlines serve Mexico, with direct or
connecting flights from most major cities in the United States,
Canada, Europe, and Japan.  Most Mexican regional capitals and
resorts have direct air service to Mexico City or the United
States.  The 36,000 kilometers (22,000 miles) of railroads are
government owned.

Mexico has taken significant steps to modernize its
telecommunications system.  A key element was the privatization
in 1990 of the national telephone company, Telefonos de Mexico
(TELMEX), which was sold to a consortium of Mexican investors,
Southwestern Bell, and France Telcom.  This privatization has
meant an increased rate of infrastructure enhancement.  In
addition, eight regional companies are providing cellular
telephone service to various parts of Mexico, resulting in a
dramatic expansion of cellular telephone users.  Two larger
communications satellites have been ordered to replace the two
currently in use.  The government has also opened the
telecommunications sector to further foreign investment.
Starting in 1997, long-distance telecommunications service will
be a competitive industry in Mexico.


FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Government of Mexico has sought to maintain its interests
abroad and project its influence largely through moral persuasion
and selective economic assistance.  In particular, Mexico
champions the principles of non-intervention and
self-determination.  In its efforts to revitalize Mexico's
economy and open it to international competition, the Salinas
Administration has sought closer relations with the U.S., Western
Europe, and the Pacific Basin.  While past Mexican and U.S.
policies have differed over regional conflicts in Central
America, both countries agree on the ultimate goal of
establishing a lasting peace based on economic and social justice
and democracy.  To that end, Mexico is participating in a number
of recent regional initiatives to promote peace, democratization,
and economic development in Central America.

Mexico actively participates in several international
organizations.  It is a strong supporter of both the UN and OAS
systems, and also pursues its interests through a number of ad
hoc international bodies.  Mexico has been selective in its
membership in other international organizations.  To date, it has
declined to become a member of the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries and the Nonaligned Movement.  Nevertheless,
Mexico acceded to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) in 1986.  In April 1994, Mexico became a member (and the
first Latin American member) of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, along with the major developed
nations of the world.  It joined the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum in November 1993.


U.S.-MEXICAN RELATIONS
U.S. foreign relations with Mexico are among its most important
and complex.  They are shaped by a mixture of mutual interests,
shared problems, growing interdependence, and differing national
perceptions.  Historical factors, cultural differences, and
economic disparities add further intricacy to the relationship.

The scope of U.S.-Mexican relations goes far beyond diplomatic
and official contacts; it entails extensive commercial, cultural,
and educational ties.  Along our 2,000-mile (shared border, state
and local governments interact closely.  The two countries
cooperate to resolve many issues, including trade, finance,
narcotics, immigration, environment, science and technology, and
cultural relations.

An independent, strong, and economically healthy Mexico is a
fundamental U.S. interest.  Both governments actively discuss
ways to improve cooperation on an array of bilateral issues.
Since 1981, this process has been formalized in the U.S.-Mexico
Binational Commission, composed of several U.S. cabinet members
and their Mexican counterparts.  The Commission holds annual
plenary meetings, and many sub-groups meet during the course of
the year to discuss a range of topics, including trade
negotiations and investment opportunities, financial cooperation,
narcotics, migration, law enforcement, cultural relations,
education, border cooperation, environment, labor, agriculture,
housing and urban development, fisheries, and tourism.

U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--James R. Jones
Deputy Chief of Mission--David R. Beall
Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs--Theodore S. Wilkinson
Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs--Daniel L. Dolan
Counselor for Labor Affairs--Richard Booth
Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs (USIS)--William Dietrich
Minister-Counselor for Consular Affairs--Bruce Beardsley
Consul General--Kathleen Mullen
Counselor for Scientific and Technological Affairs--Ahmed Meer
Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Carlos Poza, Acting

Consuls General and Consuls
Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez--Richard Peterson
Consulate General, Guadalajara--John P. Jurecky
Consulate, Hermosillo--Gregory Frost
Consulate, Matamoros--Janice Jacobs
Consulate, Merida--David Van Valkenberg
Consulate General, Monterrey--Jake Dyels
Consulate, Nuevo Laredo--Mary Daniel
Consulate General, Tijuana--Edwin Cubbison

Consular Agents
Acapulco--Lambert J. Urbanek
Cabo San Lucas--Robin A. Hanni Cancun--Lorraine H. Lara
Mazatlan--Jerianne Nelson Gallardo Oaxaca--Mark A. Leyes
Puerto Vallarta--Jeanette McGill
San Luis Potosi--Kathleen C. Reza
San Miguel de Allende--Philip Maher  Tampico--Mary Elizabeth
Alzaga  Veracruz--Edwin L. Culp

The U.S. embassy in Mexico is located at Paseo de la Reforma 305,
06500 Mexico, DF. Tel. (from the U.S.):  011-52-5-211-0042.


U.S.-Mexican Cooperation on the Environment
The Governments of the United States and Mexico are concerned
about improving the environment and conserving natural resources
in both countries.  Particularly in the border areas, they face
serious environmental problems caused by rapid population growth,
urbanization, and industrialization.  Cooperative efforts between
the U.S. and Mexico to deal with these problems take place under
the 1983 La Paz agreement.  There are currently six working
groups under this agreement addressing water quality, air
pollution, waste disposal, emergency response, enforcement, and
pollution prevention.  Other bilateral agreements address
wildlife, parks, forests, and other conservation areas.  The
International Boundary and Water Commission implements the 1944
Water Treaty with Mexico, relating to border sanitation problems.
The Integrated Environmental Plan for the Mexican-U.S. Border
Area, covering 1992-94, comprises a detailed review of border
conditions and specific proposals to solve pr!
oblems.  As a result of the Enviro
nmental Agreement negotiated as part of the NAFTA package, the
U.S., Mexico, and Canada have established a North American
Commission on Environmental Cooperation which will strengthen
environmental laws and address common environmental concerns.
Also established by executive agreement in November 1993 are a
Border Environmental Cooperation Commission (BECC) to facilitate
the development of environmental infrastructure, and a North
American Development Bank to help finance BECC projects.


International Boundary and Water Commission
Preceded by several short-term commissions to survey and mark the
boundary after its creation in 1848 and modification in 1853, the
International Boundary Commission was established as a permanent,
joint commission by treaty in 1889.  The Water Treaty of 1944
extended its authority to the land boundary and added to its
responsibilities the boundary water problems which were becoming
more important at that time.  The 1944 treaty renamed the body
the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States
and Mexico (IBWC).  It also required that the U.S. and Mexican
commissioners be engineers.

The IBWC has a wide range of responsibilities and specific
programs for solution of U.S.-Mexican water and boundary
problems.  These include distribution between the two countries
of the waters of the Colorado River and the Rio Grande; joint
operation of international dams on the Rio Grande to control
floods, conserve waters, and generate electricity; other joint
flood control works along boundary rivers; solution of border
water quality control problems; and stabilization of the river
boundaries.  These responsibilities and programs are carried out
in accordance with various treaties and agreements.

The IBWC has successfully resolved many difficult and
long-standing problems.  For example, the Chamizal Settlement of
1963 resolved a 100-year-old dispute at El Paso/Ciudad Juarez by
exchange of territory and rechanneling the Rio Grande.  A
permanent solution to the international problem related to the
salinity of the Colorado River was reached in 1973.  Since the
early 1980s, the IBWC has focused on troublesome border
sanitation problems and has been studying groundwater resources
along the boundary.  The IBWC is expected to have a strong
complementary relationship with the Border Environment
Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank,
established under a NAFTA parallel agreement.


Published by the U.S. Department of State -- Bureau of Public
Affairs -- Office of Public Communication -- Washington, DC,
April 1994 -- Managing Editor:  Peter Knecht

Department of State Publication 7365 -- Background Note Series
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