Perry outlines bilateral agenda: Texas governor pushes for trade, development and an open Mexican energy sector.Texas Gov. Rick Perry James Richard Perry (b. March 4, 1950) is a Republican politician and the Governor of Texas. He assumed office in December 2000 when then-Governor George W. Bush resigned to prepare for his inauguration as President of the United States. Gov. lobbied for greater private sector involvement in Mexico's energy sector during a trip to Mexico in late June. He also offered high praise to AmCham/Mexico during his official visit, which included a June 23 audience with President Fox. Gov. Perry spoke to AmCham members during an appearance at the AmCham-sponsored event "Face to Face: Texas-Mexico Business Opportunities." While promoting the concept of interdependence in·ter·de·pen·dent adj. Mutually dependent: "Today, the mission of one institution can be accomplished only by recognizing that it lives in an interdependent world with conflicts and overlapping interests" , the governor stressed the importance of recognizing the realities of today's borderless marketplace. "The investments AmCham members make here in Mexico provide jobs and a brighter future for people on both sides of the border," he said. Perry shared his trade philosophy and outlined recent policy achievements with Chamber members and Texas residents invited to attend the Face to Face event at Mexico City's Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental on June 24. SIGNING AN ACCORD The governor's Mexico trip began on June 22 in Monterrey where Texas signed onto a Memorandum of Understanding A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a legal document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action and may not imply a legal commitment. with the governors of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. The Memorandum seeks to promote regional development and is driven by the desire to maximize the exploitation of the natural resources and manufacturing centers that exist in the area. Chihuahua Chihuahua, state, Mexico Chihuahua (chēwä`wä), state (1990 pop. 2,441,873), 94,831 sq mi (245,612 sq km), N Mexico, on the border of N.Mex. and Texas. The city of Chihuahua is the capital. will be invited to add its signature after the new governor takes office following July 4 elections. Perry described the Memorandum as "a great opportunity to improve and strengthen infrastructure and attract investment in energy." He pointed out that a primary attraction is the mostly untapped reserves of natural gas in the Burgos Basin. "Energy development has the most important long-term Long-term Three or more years. In the context of accounting, more than 1 year. long-term 1. Of or relating to a gain or loss in the value of a security that has been held over a specific length of time. Compare short-term. implications for the border region," Perry said, noting that Mexico's border governors support managed exploitation of the natural resources. "Texas companies stand ready to help Mexican consortiums take advantage of the rich resources in the Burgos Basin." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Memorandum focuses on establishing mechanisms to maintain dialogue to promote the identification of cross-border projects that benefit the region. Infrastructure development is a priority and Perry touted a previous accord that prioritizes cooperation in this area, the Trans-Texas Corridor This article or section contains information about planned or expected future infrastructure. It may contain speculative information and may change upon or during construction. . Gov. Perry explained that his eagerness to promote cross-border regional development is based upon the philosophy that "the border doesn't separate Texas and Mexico, it joins us together." "We live in a borderless marketplace with common goals of developing good communities in which to live and creating better futures for our children," he said. "We must allow for the free flow of commerce, energy and ideas and this, in turn, will ensure that jobs and opportunities are created on both sides of the border." One obstacle Perry sees to regional development is Mexico's constitutional restrictions on private investment in the energy sector. He boldly called for privatization privatization: see nationalization. privatization Transfer of government services or assets to the private sector. State-owned assets may be sold to private owners, or statutory restrictions on competition between privately and publicly owned in the energy sector and applauded President Fox's efforts to push for reform despite widespread congressional opposition. "We need to get away from the emotional issues and get to the real issues," Perry said. "Mexicans ought not fear that foreigners Foreigners alienage the condition of being an alien. androlepsy Law. the seizure of foreign subjects to enforce a claim for justice or other right against their nation. gypsyologist, gipsyologist Rare. will sneak in Verb 1. sneak in - enter surreptitiously; "He sneaked in under cover of darkness"; "In this essay, the author's personal feelings creep in" creep in and steal their resources." The governor ended his prepared remarks on a positive note, insisting the Texas-Mexico relationship "knows no boundaries." He described the Memorandum as "a clear and powerful sign of cooperation and trust." "And two words describe the best way to cultivate cul·ti·vate tr.v. cul·ti·vat·ed, cul·ti·vat·ing, cul·ti·vates 1. a. To improve and prepare (land), as by plowing or fertilizing, for raising crops; till. b. and improve this cooperation--Amistad y Confianza," he said. Tom Buckley is the associate editor of BUSINESS MEXICO. |
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