For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 5, 2001

Presidents Bush, Fox Discuss Joint Cabinet Meeting
Remarks by President George Bush and President Vicente Fox of Mexico in Photo Opportunity
The Roosevelt Room

12:33 P.M. EDT

     PRESIDENT BUSH:  Mr. President, first, let me introduce you to many of the members of our press corps, which are fine Americans.  (Laughter.)

     We have had an extraordinary meeting.  Not only did the President and I meet in the Oval Office, for a continuation of our frank discussions on very important issues that relate to our two countries, we then just had a joint Cabinet meeting.

     I suspect this is the first time there has been a joint Cabinet meeting between the Mexican government and the United States government, or the United States government and any government, for that matter.  And some of our Cabinet officials briefed the President and me on a variety of subjects:  crime, agriculture, water issues, energy, migration and foreign policy within the region.

     What I came away with is that the spirit of cooperation has never been stronger; that not only do the President and I consider ourselves friends, but our Cabinet officials have gotten to know each other on a personal basis.  And the dialogue is very important and very frank.

     Our relationship with Mexico is an incredibly important relationship. It's one where there's a lot of opportunity, and it's a relationship where there are problems.  And in order to deal with those problems and take advantage of those opportunities, it's important to have discussions at all levels in our government.  And this is what we've begun.

     Mr. President, I'm so honored you are here.  This is the first State Visit that I've had as the President, and I can't think of a better State Visit and a better way to culminate the morning than to have had a frank discussion amongst the able team that you've put together and the able team that I've put together.

     I'd be glad to have some of your comments, Mr. President.

     PRESIDENT FOX:  Thank you very much.  I think there are a lot of expectations out of this visit, the State Visit to the United States.  We are very pleased and honored to be here, especially to witness the effort, the amount of jobs, the amount of work and meetings that have gone through since we last met in Mexico.

     As was mentioned here, the ambiente is the correct ambiente; it is of a professionalism; it is a frank and open discussions; it is of productivity, this ambiente which we are living during the day.

     It was mentioned here that today we have an everyday contact on most of the working teams that are doing this job behind the scene that we're seeing here.  I'm very, very satisfied, where we have been reported today as the work that has been done in the last six months.  And there is clear advantage on each of the subjects.

     But more so, there is a clear advance on this philosophy of trust that we are building in, that we have built in the process and that is the foundation of the actions, the deliberations, the discussions and the conclusions and decisions that are being taken all along through the process.

     So to us, today we reaffirm that this friendship, this strong relationship that has been built between Mexico and the United States is becoming now very productive.  So we make -- that this will come on flowing in this close future and keep advancing on each of the subjects that we have discussed.

     Thank you.

     PRESIDENT BUSH:  Thank you all very much.

                           END                  12:39 P.M. EDT