Speech by Enrique Jackson Ramirez President of the Mexican Senate
Strasbourg, 28 January 2003
 

Ladies and gentlemen of the Parliamentary Assembly,

Thank you for your presence.

I am extremely touched by the honour you do us by allowing us to be here in this distinguished forum.

The members of parliament and senators of the Mexican delegation convey friendly greetings from the Mexican Congress.

My country's legislature shares your beliefs and is working to improve Mexico's ability to guarantee total respect for human rights.

Respect for the individual, children's rights, protection of minorities, rejection of discrimination, equal opportunity and gender equality are matters to which we attach particular importance.

I am pleased to inform you that the Mexican Senate has approved the constitutional reforms needed to ratify the Rome Treaty. We remain convinced that universal jurisdiction is the future basis for improved protection of human rights and for preventing crimes from going unpunished.

Our democratic maturity is reflected in a pluralist country, at all levels of government, in tolerance and in consensus - evidence of co-existence with those we regard as different from us and of the increasing requirement on the public authorities to comply with legal standards.

As a country we are anxious to be law-abiding and establish the rule of law.

We have a climate in which freedoms can be exercised and ideas freely expressed.

We have accomplished a great deal but we are also tackling the areas in which we lag behind.

The challenges which remain to be faced are many.

Probably the largest challenge is protecting our democracy from sterility, making concrete results available to our citizens and enabling our democracy to evolve towards policies which stress the social dimension.

Mexico is a country of contrasts. There are obvious inequalities between people and between regions.

Agricultural producers, particularly the small farmer, are in severe crisis partly on account of our national situation and partly because of the protectionist policies of our main trading partner.

As in Europe, migration is a major issue for the American continent.

Whether moving from the country to the city or from south to north, from Mexico to the United States, Mexicans are seeking better lives for their families.

With diplomatic and political backing, we stress the need for a migration agreement which respects human rights and labour legislation as far as our nationals are concerned.

We are for respect for the rights of people who are victims, and a migration agreement which rises above our ideological and political differences is a permanent priority for Mexicans.

All political parties share the belief that we need more economic growth and more jobs.

We are not only concerned with internal affairs - Mexican action and presence on the international scene are unprecedented.

With regard to the Iraq conflict, our conviction is that compliance with multilateral decisions is a valid and viable way of guaranteeing peace and international security.

In this distinguished forum, I would state clearly that all Mexican decisions regarding Iraq must be based on the principles laid down in the United Nations charter and our own constitution.

By abiding by Security Council resolutions Mexico and many other nations can make their contribution to fighting terrorism and building peace and thus to averting the horrors of war.

I would assure this house that we are a country worthy of confidence, which has political and economic stability and which offers guarantees and security to investors.

Our country has the capabilities and qualities to win new markets.

The Mexican legislature considers it of fundamental importance to strengthen our relations with European countries in all spheres.

We attach a great deal of importance to taking part as a permanent observer in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and we consider that status a signal honour.

I accordingly wish to express my gratitude to this house and to you, Mr Schieder, for your support for our efforts to defend Mexicans sentenced to death by United States courts.

The Mexican Congress was highly honoured to receive a visit, last January, from the Political Affairs Committee. Our thanks go to the members of that committee, and in particular to its Chair, Mr Terry Davis.

The Mexican Senate extends a warm invitation to any other committees interested in visiting us. That invitation is official. You are very welcome to take it up.

We have no doubt that Europe has a key bearing on the world's future. The vision which drives the European continent forward makes it clear to us that Europe is on the right road. We look on with great interest. We have many things we share.

Thank you.