Excerpts of Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Lamothe July 24, 2012Footnote 1
Secretary Hillary Clinton and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe gave the following remarks in Washington, DC
Secretary Clinton. Well, good morning. It's a great personal pleasure for me to have this opportunity to welcome the Prime Minister of Haiti. Prime Minister Lamothe is someone who comes to this job on behalf of his country with a lot of private sector experience, a lot of commitment. And we are delighted to be working with you.
As some of you know, when I came into office as Secretary, I made Haiti a foreign policy priority and committed to working to change the way that we partnered with Haiti, moving from working in Haiti to working with Haiti. And in the 30 months—actually, more than that, because we started before the earthquake. And then once the earthquake happened, we scrambled to make sure we were being a good partner in helping Haiti recover from such devastation, but at the same time, working with them to help build a firm foundation for more prosperity and stability.
So today, the Prime Minister and I had a chance to take stock of what we have accomplished together, along with Haiti's other international supporters, and to discuss the way forward. Haiti is working very hard to overcome extreme poverty, very, very high unemployment, the devastating natural disaster, and so much more. Some of these challenges existed before the earthquake, but they were exacerbated by the disaster. And while we want to highlight the progress we've made together, we cannot ignore what more lies ahead in terms of the challenges facing Haiti and its leaders. We have focused our work in four critical areas: agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and the rule of law.
Through our Feed the Future Initiative, we've helped nearly 10,000 farmers access improved seeds, fertilizer, and introduce new techniques for better productivity. And for those farmers, production has already increased. Rice yields have more than doubled; corn yields have more than quadrupled. Our goal is to help 100,000 farmers over the next few years.
Working with Haiti and its partners in the health sector, we have had to work hard and have succeeded in greatly reducing the fatality rate of the cholera epidemic from 9 percent to just over 1 percent. But we know that the only way to stop cholera long term is through improved water and sanitation. So we're working with the Inter-American Development Bank and other donors on water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. And we're working to upgrade health clinics in Haiti and to renovate the general hospital in Port-au-Prince in partnership with France.
In the infrastructure sector, we've removed more than two million cubic meters of rubble. We've worked with the Haitian Government to help return more than one million internally displaced persons to temporary shelters and safer homes. We're also working hard with our Haitian partners to build up Haiti's economy, building infrastructure that will expand and diversify the economic base.
In northern Haiti, the new Caracol Industrial Park is a landmark project that captures an integrated, sustainable approach to economic development. The park is drawing companies and will create more than 20,000 new jobs for Haitians. The first factory in the park has already begun operations; a second tenant has just signed up. Construction is underway on a new settlement in the area with more than 1,200 homes designed to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, each with electricity, potable water, and flush sanitation.
And finally, in the rule of law sector the international community has provided critical support during Haiti's elections for president and parliament—and we have the president of the senate here with us today—to ensure that the votes of the people of Haiti are counted. President Martelly and the Prime Minister and the parliament are demonstrating real leadership in making these reforms. The government has successfully stood up the superior judiciary council, making this government the first with all three branches functioning since 1987.
And today, the Prime Minister and I discussed the importance of the upcoming elections for local officials and the senate. And we talked about the continued need for police reform, border security, judicial reform, and the other important elements of stability that Haiti is committed to. Haitians have been in the lead at each step. This is something I believe in very strongly, that in the 21st century, country ownership, country priorities, country agenda setting, is absolutely essential. The United States can be helpful, but what's really important is building the capacity of the Haitian Government and the Haitian society so they can have the means and the experience and the expertise to solve their own problems.
As I said to the Prime Minister, as I've said many times, Haitians are among the most creative, most vital, most hardworking people in the world. We have benefited so greatly from Haitian Americans in our country as many other countries have as well. Haiti has also, unfortunately, been the leading country in the world for brain drain. More Haitian college graduates have left Haiti, per capita, than any other country in the world. When you think of the talent that Haiti has produced that benefits us and others, what we want to do is make it possible for any bright, young, ambitious Haitian to stay home and to build his or her country. And we are excited by the progress we're making. We are clear-eyed about the challenges we face, but we look forward to a future where every single Haitian has a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential in the country they are from and love.
So Prime Minister, personally, I want to thank you for what you are doing with your leadership to bring that day closer.
Prime Minister Lamothe. Thank you very much, Madam Secretary. And I want to thank you for your leadership, the leadership that you've shown into promoting Haiti, and not only for the leadership, but for the love also that you've shown toward the Haitian people, the compassion that the United States is showing toward Haiti, and the support that the U.S. is giving to Haiti is greatly appreciated.
My office, my—the Prime Minister's office, the President is deeply touched also by the appreciation. The respect that you give to Haitians is very important to us. The respect that we get from you, from your government, will go a long way and has. Of course, we're celebrating 150 years of relationship when President Abraham Lincoln recognized the independence of Haiti and Haitians, and we just celebrated on the 12th of July, and we're very happy about that and very proud of that.
The U.S. is doing a lot of good things in Haiti. The Northern Industrial Park is a development model that we want to replicate and that we want to support. The unemployment rate, as you well said, Madam Secretary, is at 52 percent. Fifty-two percent of the Haitian people are looking for jobs and are not finding the opportunities for the job, and when Haitians are given the opportunities, they succeed. The Northern Industrial Park will give, as you said, 20,000 jobs, direct jobs. But out of the direct jobs in Haiti, you get a (inaudible) of 10 to 20 percent. That means over 1 to 200,000 people will benefit from that park. That's why it's important to not only promote the park, but seek additional tenants and improve the capacity of that park to make it a big success. And once it's inaugurated in October—and we're looking forward to your visit—we assure that the rest of the world will see what us Haitians see, which is a success story.
We have—we've committed—the Haitian Government—the new Haitian Government is committed to improving the fight against corruption, which we've made as our number one priority—education, fight against extreme poverty. Too many Haitians are living in difficult circumstances with less than a dollar a day. We're thinking about them, and we're coming up with programs—social protection programs to assist them in the plight of a better life.
So I want to take this opportunity and the platform to thank also President Clinton for all the dedication and hard work and visits, and tripping in helicopters into the different parts to showcase what Haiti has that's good, and to show that Haiti can be in the headlines for good things, not only bad things. And President Clinton has been a champion for that, and you, Madam Secretary, have also been on the forefront of promoting Haiti, and we thank you for that.
Moderator. We'll take three today. We'll start with CBS, Cami McCormick.
Q. Good morning, Madam Secretary. I wanted to ask you about the violence today in Aleppo in Syria. It's been described as combat, fierce fighting. This no longer seems to be just a case of the regime oppressing civilians. It seems to be all-out war. What realistically can be done at this moment to stop the fighting and bring about a political solution? Is that even possible right now considering the conditions there?
Secretary Clinton. Well, first, we are well aware that the pace of events is accelerating inside Syria. Over the weekend, one of the opposition's military leaders announced that they would be engaged in all out—an all-out effort to take over Aleppo, which, as you know, is the second largest city in Syria.
So what we are trying to do with our likeminded friends is to continue pressuring the regime, continue pushing for humanitarian relief, because the flow of refugees is increasing. We obviously would have preferred doing all of this under a UN umbrella. Unfortunately, those who are still supporting Assad undermined Security Council action. Russia and China exercised their third double veto. And so we are working outside of the UN Security Council to send a clear message of support for the opposition. We are, as I've announced before, providing nonlethal assistance. We have every reason to believe this will be important in terms of communication, principally, but also medical support. We are also sending a very clear message about the international community's rejection of any effort by the Assad regime to use chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.
And we have to work closely with the opposition because more and more territory is being taken, and it will eventually result in a safe haven inside Syria, which will then provide a base for further actions by the opposition. And so the opposition has to be prepared. They have to start working on interim governing entities. They have to commit to protecting the rights of all Syrians—every group of Syrians. They have to set up humanitarian response efforts that we can also support. They've got to safeguard the chemical and biological weapons that we know the Syrian regime has.
And there's a lot to be done, so we're working across many of these important pillars of a transition that is inevitable. It would be better if it happened sooner—both because fewer people would die or be injured, but also because it would perhaps prevent sectarian retribution and other kinds of breakdown in stability.
So I think it's important to look at these day-after issues, and that's what we are trying to do. And we want to see a democratic, peaceful, pluralistic Syria and have that country demonstrate a commitment to that kind of future, but we know we have some hard times ahead of us.
Moderator. Next question from the Haitian side. Flory Anne Isaac, TNH.
Q. Good morning, Madam Secretary, Mr. Prime Minister. My question is mainly directed to my fellow citizens. My question is regarding a very important issue for them, namely the temporary protection status—TPS. I was wondering if you have any good news to announce in that regard. Do you have any good news to announce to my fellow citizens on this measure taken by the Obama Administration?
And secondly, Madam Secretary, I have question for you. You have visited more than 100 countries in the course of your time as Secretary of State. Does that make you a new person, and what lessons have you drawn from all that travel?
Secretary Clinton. As you know, we granted TPS; we are watching this very closely. It is a matter that the Obama Administration takes very seriously. There's no new news to report, but there is a very vigorous effort that we are engaged in to ensure that the Haitian people are not put at a disadvantage going forward. But that is still in the process of being worked through. As you know, I don't get the final decision on this. That's elsewhere in our government. But we are well-aware of the burdens that any other decision at this time would pose.
With respect to your question, which is really an intriguing one that I haven't been able to think enough about, I have been very honored to represent the United States now in so many places around the world. And what I see and what I hope to convey is how in many ways there is an opportunity for progress for people that has not been readily available before. We know so much more about what works, and we have learned many lessons.
I was telling the Prime Minister that there are countries that have been through terrible experiences—Rwanda, for example—that are now making good domestic decisions to help their people. And the fight against corruption is a universal fight. The fight for greater employment and economic opportunity is a universal fight. The fight to improve government and services and to have the revenues obtained in an honest way is a universal challenge.
So much of what Haiti is doing now I know can work, because I have seen that. And as the Prime Minister kindly said, my husband and I have a very big place in our hearts for Haiti and we want to see Haiti succeed. But what it comes down to is good leadership and responsible citizenship. First, you have to have good leaders who are leading in the right way, who represent the will of their people, who are prepared to make difficult decisions. But then you also have to have responsible citizens who understand change is hard—it does not happen overnight—and who are prepared to do their part.
So I've seen successes and failures, and I am very optimistic that Haiti is in the success category.
Do you want to add anything, Prime Minister?
Prime Minister Lamothe. We are committed to doing the right thing. Haiti's government in the past have made a lot of bad decisions as well about governance that created a situation where Haiti depends on international assistance for just about everything. Today, we're making decisions away from that. We are building our capacity to collect our own revenues, increase the tax revenues, increase the custom duty revenue, decrease spending on energy subsidies to increase, again, government revenues. So we are focusing on the revenue side, and the government is putting together a comprehensive energy policy that will give electricity throughout the island and distribution of the electricity to everybody, just like what happened in the phone system, where 20 years ago it was very difficult to get a telephone line. Today, over 5 million Haitians have a phone. Businesses have increased, and doing business has been easier because of that. Today is the same case for the energy. We are dedicated and we are committed to providing electricity all over the country and prepaid meters so that everybody has access to the electricity.
And of course, we are thinking of the voiceless, those that don't have the opportunity to ever speak, the most vulnerable ones, in a very aggressive anti-poverty strategy that currently we have a program that's called Dear Little Mother that affects 100,000—that positively impacts 100,000 moms in Haiti in a conditional cash transfer, so they get a cash transfer every month so long as their child is and remains in school. And after six months, the child graduates but the child has to be vaccinated to stay in the program. So it (inaudible) good behavior and child attendance in school.
We are also working on social protection programs like school canteens. We are trying to increase working with AID to increase the number of children that are getting a meal every day. So basic policies but that go a long way into assisting those who need it the most.
Moderator. Last one today. Arshad Mohammed from Reuters.
Q. Secretary Clinton, another question on Syria. In your remarks at the Holocaust Museum this morning, you said that the Administration is now doing more to assist the opposition. You mentioned just now communications and medical assistance. What exactly additionally are you doing? Does it include the provision of intelligence? Does it include helping them mount attacks or defend themselves?
Secondly, you said that it would be unfortunate if Assad and his circle were to conclude that this is an existential struggle. From the outside, it certainly does look like a life-and-death struggle. What exactly did you mean by that? I suppose one possibility might be that you want to send a signal to the Sunni majority that if they prevail, they should not engage in sectarian violence afterwards; there shouldn't be score settling. I suppose another possibility is you're trying to signal to Assad and his inner circle there's still a way out of this for them. But what exactly were you thinking of with that remark?
Secretary Clinton. Well, those are two good options, Arshad. I would associate myself with your comments. I think that we do believe that it is not too late for the Assad regime to commence with planning for a transition, to find a way that ends the violence by beginning the kind of serious discussions that have not occurred to date. We think it's very important that the opposition fighters, as they get better organized and expand their presence more broadly, send a message that this is for the benefit of all Syrians, not for any group, not engage in any reprisals and retribution that could lead to even greater violence than currently is taking place.
We think it's important to better coordinate the work that is going on in the region, especially with the increasing refugee flows, and we are intently focused on that, working with Jordan and Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq; making it clear to all of those who are helping to see an end to this conflict that everybody needs to express the same views about what we want to see next; that no one should be seeking advantage to the detriment of anyone else inside of Syria.
So when I say that—we obviously spent a good amount of time working to find a way that Russia and China could move forward with us in the Security Council. That is on the far backburner right now. So when I say we are doing more, we have moved our efforts into other arenas and with other partners. We still would like to see the Security Council act because we think it would be to the—certainly, to the benefit of the people of Syria, but also to the credit of the Security Council. But if that's not in the cards for the foreseeable future, then we will intensify our efforts with the Arab League, with the neighbors, with the Friends of Syria, with the justice and accountability unit we're starting, with the UN Commission of Inquiry, with the Sanctions Working Group, with all the other elements that are not affected by the failure to act in the Security Council, and that's what we're doing.
Q. Does that include intelligence or military assistance of any sort, even if nonlethal?
Secretary Clinton. Well, we are certainly providing communications that we know is going to people within Syria so that they can be better organized to protect themselves against the continuing assault of their own government.
Thank you all.
Remarks by Deputy Secretary Nides, August 26, 2012Footnote 2
Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Thomas Nides gave the following remarks in Alaska
Introductory Remarks Omitted
Deputy Secretary Nides. In every region, we are dealing with rising powers and new opportunities and new challenges. We face huge economic risks from the crisis in Europe, we see continued violence in Syria, and further provocations from Iran and North Korea. And all the while, new technology like Facebook and Twitter is helping bring millions of people into the political conversation and, sometimes, onto the streets.
From Benghazi to the South China Sea, day by day we are dealing with the challenges of a changing world.
What's happening in this neighborhood, too, is a potential game-changer. In some ways, the Arctic is a unique case for us, because it's about a physical change to the planet. Few places are changing faster than the Arctic. And few places are more important to our shared future.
150 years ago, when another Secretary of State, William Henry Seward—part of the original “team of rivals”—negotiated the purchase of Alaska from the Russians, our goals were modest. We wanted to search Denali's hills and streams for minerals and reach ports locked in by ice.
Today, our knowledge of and access to the Arctic has expanded, and so have our strategic goals. And decades from now, this could be a very different place. New cities could ring the Arctic driven by industries we cannot even imagine today. As Arctic ice melts, new shipping routes can radically shorten the time it takes to send goods from, say, New York to Tokyo. New population centers will need to be tied to national interiors by rail, power lines, roads and political culture. As all this happens, we will be faced with the challenges of migration and environmental issues.
All of this is speculation about the future. But just last month, a glacial sheet twice the size of Manhattan suddenly broke off Greenland and fell into the sea. Only a week later, scientists reported that melting occurred over nearly the entire surface of the Greenland ice sheet in just four days—something that had not happened in over one hundred years.
It was just two years ago that a Russian vessel became the first commercial supertanker to transit the treacherous Northern Sea Route, thousands of miles shorter than traditional routes. The sailors threw flowers in the water to honor all those who had died attempting this same journey in years past.
And yet many believe that, rather than embodying these sailors' spirit of shared endeavor, the Arctic is destined to become the site of a fierce, chaotic scramble for territory and resources between the countries and people who share this region.
But that's not the future we see and it's certainly not what we see today. There are compelling reasons for Arctic nations to continue to cooperate and we are committed to making that happen.
The truth is, we don't know what the Arctic will look like in the next decade, let alone the next century. But we do know that we must be in the game. The Arctic may hold one-fifth of the world's recoverable oil and gas reserves. More importantly, America is an Arctic nation. We are committed to protecting and advancing the interests of Alaskans, and of all Americans. Around the world, we are committed to promoting cooperation and commerce. And in every region—including in the Arctic—we are committed to working closely with other nations to solve the challenges no country can solve on its own.
Now, let me tell you briefly about the two ways we're mixing tried and tested diplomatic tools with innovative approaches to seize the opportunity in the Arctic.
First, we're enhancing our diplomatic engagement on Arctic issues.
My boss, Secretary Clinton, last year, led the U.S. delegation to the Arctic Council meeting in Nuuk, Greenland. She was the first Secretary of State to attend an Arctic Council meeting and her presence was a clear demonstration of how important these issues are to us.
The Arctic Council is the preeminent forum to discuss Arctic issues. But to keep up with change, the Council itself must become more flexible and dynamic. We are pushing the Council in a new, more responsive direction, so that we can address the next generation of complex issues facing the region and Alaska's communities and indigenous groups.
We plan to use our two-year Chairmanship of the Council beginning in May 2015 to sharpen the focus on concrete problems and practical solutions.
These are not easy issues, and I know it's no surprise to anyone here that the dealing with multilateral organizations can be challenging and very messy. But on all the big issues—from fishery cooperation to search and rescue to resource development to satellite coverage—we're making real progress. Through the Arctic Council, and through bilateral agreements and cooperation with our Arctic neighbors, we see the foundations of shared prosperity and security in the region. The international community is on the right track and that's good news for all of us.
The second big thing we're doing is pushing for the Senate to act so we can join the Law of the Sea Convention.
This might seem like an abstract point. But the rules of the road for the Arctic Ocean are found in the Law of the Sea Convention. I know you heard about this in the morning session, so I'll be brief on this point. This treaty is full of provisions that will help protect our strategic interests—and it will create American jobs.
Nobody is better positioned to benefit from this treaty than the United States. We're the world's number one sea power and largest economy, and this treaty enhances our national security by securing freedom of navigation. We have the world's second-longest coastline, and this treaty has important provisions to protect our offshore natural resources. We have an exceptionally large seabed. Only by joining the treaty can we fully secure our sovereign rights to the vast oil and gas resources of our continental shelf beyond 200 miles—which, in the Arctic, could extend over 600 miles. Further, the Convention would enable U.S. businesses to obtain security of title for deep seabed mining operations, creating an environment for investment, innovation, and job creation—something the American people deserve.
And I'll tell you something else: we are the only country under this treaty that was given a permanent seat on the group that will make decisions about deep seabed mining.
And there's an urgency to getting someone in that seat. Right now, we are being left behind. All other Arctic States have joined and they are going through the process of establishing the outer limits of their continental shelves in the Arctic using the Convention's provisions. Meanwhile, as a non-party, we are abiding by the requirements of the Convention without enjoying key benefits that only come with joining it.
This is about jobs, the environment, and national security. Our opponents' arguments, to be honest, just don't hold water.
That is why U.S. companies, business groups, labor unions, all our military leaders, the Coast Guard, and every living Secretary of State—including Jim Baker—support joining the Convention now. I know I am preaching to the choir here in Alaska: folks like former Governor Wally Hickle and the late Senator Ted Stevens. and even former Governor Sarah Palin… have always supported the Law of the Sea Convention.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently held what the Senator Kerry called a “24-Star Hearing”: six four-star generals and admirals testified to the importance of this treaty to U.S. national security.
And yet, the Senate has still not approved this treaty. I used to work on Capitol Hill, and I've never seen anything like it. It's not often that you find the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the American Petroleum Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council all on the same side of an issue.
John Kerry has said he will push the Senate to take up the treaty following the election, and I hope the Senate will take advantage of the opportunity to take necessary steps to protect American interests, security and prosperity.
Conclusion
As Secretary Clinton likes to say, we have to deal with the urgent, the important and the long term all at once. In many ways, the foreign policy challenges in the Arctic combine all three. This region is one of the last true frontiers in the United States. It is becoming a new frontier in our foreign policy.
The stakes are high. We know that the Arctic is more important in world affairs today than it was twenty or even ten years ago. And we know it will be even more important ten, twenty, and fifty years from now. This is the time to get it right. And if we do, we will have a more secure and prosperous Alaska, America and world.
Excerpts of Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton and Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa, September 18, 2012Footnote 3
Secretary Hillary Clinton and Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa gave the following remarks in Washington, DC
Secretary Clinton. Good afternoon, everyone. And it is such a pleasure for me to welcome my friend and colleague, Secretary Espinosa, along with a very distinguished delegation of officials from the Mexican Government for this continuation of consultation at the highest levels of each of our governments.
Before I turn to the matters discussed today, let me give a brief update on the ongoing U.S. response to the protests in the Middle East and elsewhere. I'm sure as you know already, we are taking aggressive steps to protect our staffs in embassies and consulates worldwide. That includes reviewing our security posture at every post and augmenting it where necessary. And we are working closely with the Libyan Government in our efforts to bring to justice those who murdered our four American colleagues in Benghazi.
The FBI is now in Tripoli to join the investigation with Libyan officials, and there is nothing more important to us than ensuring the safety of our American representatives worldwide. At the same time, as I have said to State Department employees, the incidents of the past week highlight how important our work is. The United States must and will remain strongly engaged in the world. Our men and women risk their lives in service to our country and our values, because they know that the United States must be a force for peace and progress. That is worth striving and sacrificing for, and nothing that happened last week changes this fundamental fact.
Now, turning to our friends and partners in Mexico, we are always pleased to have a chance to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern between us. Mexico is one of our closest friends as well as partner on dozens of critical issues. So we talk about every kind of issue you can imagine, from education and healthcare to poverty alleviation to the environment. But today, we focused on a top priority for us both—security.
We just co-chaired the fourth meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Merida High-Level Consultative Group. This is the last one we will hold during the Calderon Administration. And I want to offer my personal appreciation to President Calderon and to Foreign Secretary Espinosa for their leadership and commitment to this partnership and to all on both sides of the border in our governments who have been deeply engaged and committed to it. The Merida Initiative represents an unprecedented level of security cooperation between Mexico and the United States.
As our countries continue to deal with the serious challenge of transnational criminal organizations, including drug traffickers, illegal arms traffickers, money launderers, and violent gangs that threaten people on both sides of the border, we well know there is no quick and easy way to stop these criminals and bring them to justice. But nevertheless, during the past now nearly four years, our countries have collaborated to an extraordinary and unprecedented degree. We have brought together policy makers and experts from across our governments and societies who have worked hand in hand to keep our people safe. And I think the habits of cooperation we have built are among our most important achievements, and we will rely on them for a long time to come.
Today, our delegations reviewed the gains we've made on key priorities, including improving law enforcement coordination, reducing the demand for drugs, modernizing our border infrastructure, strengthening the rule of law, and building more resilient and empowered communities. We also discussed the lessons we've learned and the work that lies ahead in these and other areas, which our joint statement will reflect. I want to underscore how important our security relationship with Mexico is to the United States.
The Government of Mexico and the Mexican people have faced the threat posed by these criminals with courage and resolve, and we remain committed to doing everything we can to support Mexico as it continues to work to bring those criminals to justice. This is a transnational problem, and it calls for a transnational solution, and the United States believes this is a matter of shared responsibility. That was the first message I brought as Secretary of State when I came to Mexico, and it continues to be the hallmark of our efforts together. Making sure our people are safe and our neighbors are safe is of the utmost importance to us.
Now, our two countries share many other priorities, and one of them, empowering women and girls, was also addressed today. We took the opportunity, the Foreign Secretary and I, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between our countries to work together to advance gender equality, empower girls and women, promote their human rights, and enhance their security.
So again, Secretary Espinosa, let me thank you for years of work and effort, for our productive conversations in many places around the world and again today, and for being such a valuable colleague and partner. The United States deeply, deeply values our relationship with Mexico and the ties of family and friendship that connect so many millions of our people.
And we look forward to the future. We believe strongly that presidential administrations may change, elections will come and go, but we have established a firm foundation for cooperation that has already benefited both our countries and which will continue to benefit both of our countries for many years ahead. So thank you very much.
Q. Yes. For both of you, thank you for your time. As both governments are reaching their end, which is a bigger challenge that incoming government have to deal with regarding bilateral security issues? And also, if you can give us an update of the Tres Marias incident, what kind of measure are you taking to prevent these kinds of incidents and to promote more trust, more confidence, and more law enforcement in both sides of the border?
Foreign Secretary Espinosa. As we said, we've undertaken a review of the cooperation that has taken place under the framework of the Merida Initiative, and we have reached an agreement that we need to continue this broad cooperation based on the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, and justice for both countries and the respect for the sovereignty of both countries. And we've also agreed on the fact that this cooperation scheme that has yielded great benefits domestically for both countries, which has in turn made us more effective in the fight against transnational organized crime.
And so we've agreed, in this sense, to conduct a review of the progress that we've achieved in all areas and also to develop a roadmap that will guide our work into the future, which Mexico—this current Administration and Mexico will present to the incoming administration as a suggestion/recommendation for their work.
As to the issue of Tres Marias, you are all aware—well aware of the fact that Mexico, from the very first moment, and its government has pointed out that we deeply regret this incident. At the same time, we have reiterated our willingness and our interest to—on behalf of the Government of Mexico—to conduct an exhaustive investigation, an investigation that will shed light on the facts and that will allow us to apply punishment to those responsible and bring them before the law.
We have also expressed our willingness to undertake ongoing engagement and dialogue with U.S. authorities in this case, and in all cases under the purview of our law enforcement authorities.
Secretary Clinton. Well, let me emphasize how much progress has occurred in the last three and a half-plus years with the Merida Initiative and enhanced cooperation regarding security between our two countries. The United States has invested more than $1 billion in equipment training and capacity building since the Merida Initiative began. And the Mexican Government has brought even more of its resources to bear on combating drug trafficking, criminal cartels, as well as improving judicial and correction institutions. And we expect that this high level of cooperation and this belief in shared responsibility will continue in the next Mexican administration.
And we regret any incident of violence wherever it occurs—inside Mexico, on our borders, or inside our own country. And we will continue to work closely to investigate these tragic incidents and try to come to conclusions about who is responsible and use our legal systems to hold them accountable.
Thank you all very much.
Foreign Secretary Espinosa. Thank you.
Joint Statement of the Merida Initiative High-Level Consultative Group on Bilateral Cooperation Against Transnational Criminal Organizations September 18, 2012Footnote 4
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1. The Merida Initiative High-Level Consultative Group held its fourth meeting today, under the leadership of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa, to review the results of bilateral cooperation Mexico and the United States have undertaken to address the multiple challenges posed by transnational organized crime which operates in both countries.
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2. In October 2007, the governments of the United States and Mexico announced our decision to expand and deepen our cooperation to maximize the effectiveness of our efforts to confront transnational organized crime, in the interest of security and the well-being of citizens of both nations. To achieve this goal, we developed the Merida Initiative, a bilateral cooperation framework based on the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, and full respect for the sovereignty of each country. The High-Level Consultative Group, comprising cabinet secretaries from each government, reviews progress and provides direction and guidance for these efforts.
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3. The Merida Initiative represents a paradigm shift with respect to our cooperation on law enforcement and security. It has contributed to a deeper and more candid bilateral dialogue, and the strengthening of the overall relationship. The authorities of the United States and Mexico not only deepened our communication and mutual trust, but committed to strengthen the fight against organized crime, including arms trafficking and money laundering, in our respective countries in an unprecedented manner.
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4. Mexico has continued to make substantial investments in excess of $10 billion, aimed at strengthening its security and justice sector institutions. In particular, there has been progress in strengthening the legal framework, including legal protections for human rights, increasing the transparency of public institutions, enhancing accountability, and fighting corruption through institutional restructuring, enhanced training, and the use of internal controls for law enforcement forces. In addition, the Mexican government is currently undertaking the reform of the criminal justice system. In support of those efforts, the United States has appropriated $1.9 billion.
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5. Working together under the Merida Initiative to complement through collaborative actions the significant efforts made by the Government of Mexico to confront transnational criminal groups, the United States and Mexico have: increased information sharing on transnational drug trafficking organizations, which has disrupted the operations of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and supported the Mexican government in removing major drug traffickers; strengthened the extradition relationship between the two countries, resulting in record totals and numerous high level targets being brought to justice; improved border security and inspection capabilities, in part through the deployment of more than $97 million in fixed and mobile non-intrusive inspection equipment (NIIE) and small detection devices; worked to secure supply chains and expedite the flow of legitimate trade and travel by establishing complementary trusted traveler and shipper programs; provided training, capacity building, and equipment to more than 5,000 prison staff and administrators and supported the efforts of the Mexican government to expand the federal prison capacity from 6,400 inmates to 20,000 inmates as well as to establish a federal penitentiary academy; trained more than 7,500 federal and 19,000 state justice sector personnel in different aspects of Mexico's new accusatorial judicial system; supported the efforts by the Mexican government to improve the efficiency of its judicial system, especially in states and areas where judicial reform has been implemented; strengthened investigation of cross-border financial flows, money laundering, and financial crimes by providing state of the art equipment and training and by setting up a Bilateral Illicit Finance Working Group; supported training for more than 4,400 police investigators of the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) who are deployed throughout Mexico; and transferred 21 aircraft to Mexican security forces to confront criminal organizations.
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6. The broad parameters of our partnership under Merida have followed from the four strategic areas of cooperation Presidents Barack Obama and Felipe Calderon identified in August 2009 in Guadalajara, and reaffirmed during the State Visit of President Calderon to Washington, D.C., in May 2010: disrupting the capacity of criminal organizations by weakening their operational, logistical, and financial capabilities; strengthening public institutions that underpin the rule of law; developing a secure and competitive border; and restoring the social fabric in vulnerable communities.
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7. In connection with the fourth strategic area, we have agreed to implement programs to help strengthen the social fabric of vulnerable communities in the cities of Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Monterrey. In coordination with local authorities and community leaders, we are taking actions to reduce and prevent drug demand, recover public spaces, work with children and youth, and support community networks for crime prevention. The United States and Mexico are cooperating to strengthen crime prevention and reduce criminal activity at the state and local level. We have initiated programs to strengthen police training and police academies, including in the states of Chihuahua, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon, with equipment and training courses. We have also jointly established a program to link 334 prevention and primary care centers across the country, plus 32 state centers, into a national drug use observatory that will enable real-time monitoring of consumption patterns and trends for specific, targeted interventions.
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8. With respect to the security of our common border, we have taken steps to improve cooperation between the authorities responsible for preventing and responding to border incidents. In this context, we highlight the adoption of the Border Violence Prevention Protocols.
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9. In the five years since we announced the Merida Initiative, our efforts have led to major quantitative and qualitative advances in bilateral cooperation against transnational organized crime. This has helped to establish a solid foundation of trust and coordination between U.S. and Mexican authorities responsible for preventing and combating crime.
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10. Recognizing that the United States and Mexico face common challenges, the High-Level Group confirmed its commitment to harness the enormous potential of enhanced cooperation between our countries. Based on the principle of shared responsibility that governs our cooperation, we seek long-term solutions that allow us to deal with transnational criminal organizations and increasingly offer our citizens better conditions for development and security. Moreover, recognizing the global reach of the criminal organizations, we also agreed on the importance of continuing to work with our partners and neighbors in the region to meet this shared challenge.
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11. In reaffirming this strategic partnership, the United States and Mexico recognize it is in our common interest to continue to build on and institutionalize the cooperation the Merida Initiative has established.
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12. In attendance at the HLG for the United States: Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM James Winnefeld, Ambassador of the United States to Mexico E. Anthony Wayne, Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Daniel Glaser, USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg, Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, and White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Deputy Director for Supply Reduction Marilyn Quagliotti.
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13. In attendance at the HLG for Mexico: Secretary Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Secretary of Governance Alejandro Poire Romero, Secretary of National Defense General Guillermo Galván Galván, Secretary of the Navy Admiral Mariano Francisco Saynez Mendoza, Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, Attorney General Marisela Morales Ibañez, Secretary of Health Salomon Chertorivski Woldenberg, Director General of the Center for Investigation and National Security (CISEN) Jaime Domingo Lopez Buitron, Chief of the Tax Administration System (SAT) Alfredo Gutierrez Ortíz-Mena, Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Secretariat of Finance José Alberto Balbuena, Commissioner of the National Council against Addictions (CONADIC) Carlos Tena Tamayo, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Arturo Sarukhan, and Undersecretary for North America of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations Julian Ventura.
Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton, September 27, 2012Footnote 5
Secretary Hillary Clinton gave the following remarks in New York City
Secretary Clinton. I want to welcome all of you to our third Central American Citizen Security meeting. I'm pleased so many of our partners are here today to review our progress and discuss the path forward. We established this group because we all have an interest in enhancing stability and security across Central America. For the United States, this is very personal. These are our friends and our neighbors and our partners on so many important issues. We count a lot of our own people with origins from Central America. So we wanted to—and I particularly made it a priority—to do everything we could to deal with crime and violence and help people live safer and more prosperous lives.
Where governments have struggled to meet these challenges on their own, we want to build the partnerships that will allow us to do this better together. And since the Groups of Friends first met last June, we've seen real progress. In the first six months of this year, versus the first six months of 2011, homicide rates are down 10 percent in Guatemala, 25 percent in Honduras, and 26 percent in El Salvador. In some communities, we are told that the fear of violence is beginning to fade for the first time in many years.
Now, we have a lot more work to do, because still the rates of violence remain too high, rampant crime threatens to undermine citizens' faith in their governments, and so we have to keep up the momentum. First, we need to double down on efforts that are making police more responsive and more effective. For instance, the United States has funded model police precinct programs in El Salvador and Guatemala. This program provides training and equipment to get local police more involved in their communities, to build trust between citizens and law enforcement, and to target the zones of impunity where criminals operate.
In these three precincts, homicide rates have declined even more than the national average—35 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent. And we should expand this proven, successful program and other measures that have brought down crime and built up law enforcement, making it both more professional but also, frankly, more connected, more sensitive to the needs of the people in the communities.
Second, we should build on the success of violence prevention programs that target those who are most vulnerable to being recruited by criminal gangs, namely young people and marginalized populations. USAID is at work in 12 high crime areas in El Salvador partnering with civil society, municipal leaders, and businesses to provide education and vocational training for these at-risk groups. And in these communities, the feedback we are getting from residents is that they feel more confident making reports to local authorities, and crime rates have in fact gone down.
Third, we need to maintain the political will that has driven change from within Central American governments and societies themselves. Since last year, Honduras has passed a law permitting the extradition of drug traffickers, and we thank you. Costa Rica has strengthened its police forces and courts. Guatemala has ramped up its efforts to seize drugs and arrest criminals at the border with Mexico. Now we need to be sure that the new laws are enforced and that the new initiatives are given the resources they need to succeed.
Finally, we hope to keep strengthening partnership and collaboration. Donor countries such as ourselves need to continue to coordinate so we focus resources where they're needed most without duplicating our efforts. Regional governments need to share effective practices and launch joint efforts, because crime, of course, doesn't stop at borders, and we have to continue to work together.
For our part, the United States is committed to being a strong partner. Our Central American Regional Security Initiative is designed to help make streets safer, disrupt criminal networks, support the development of strong government institutions, bring services to at-risk communities, and promote greater collaboration among the region's governments, not only within Central America but with Mexico, with Colombia, and beyond.
This year we are providing $135 million for these efforts, which brings our total in the last four years to nearly half a billion dollars. And we think, based on the evidence, this has been money well spent. We are very proud to be partnering with you, because our partnership is not simply about reducing crime. It is about building safe and stable communities that will allow entire societies to thrive and prosper.
So again, I want to thank all of you for your commitment to this effort. I look forward to hearing from people around this table who are on the front lines doing the hard work. And let me now turn to the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister—Minister Santos, welcome—to please provide an update on the efforts that have been made by Central American governments to reduce crime and violence and to engage the international community in supporting the region's most pressing security challenges.
