- Title: MEXICO: New U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual pledges to battle crime
- Date: 13th August 2009
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (AUGUST 11, 2009) (REUTERS) NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, CARLOS PASCUAL, ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF PASCUAL DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, CARLOS PASCUAL, SAYING: "Well, the first thing President Barack Obama asked me to do was to work hard and to serve the interests of both countries which is what I will of course do." PHOTOGRAPHERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, CARLOS PASCUAL, SAYING: "I have been given this job to ensure that in an interconnected world, Mexico and the United States continue to work together in regards to their interests, today and in the future. The connections we have - economic, health, energy, security are real. We have an obligation with our people, to ensure we are able to advance together." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, CARLOS PASCUAL, SAYING: "We reviewed progress made with the Merida programme in which 70 percent of funds which have been made available until now have been assigned. In a short while, we'll see a lot of the equipment which will arrive. Just as important, we spoke about the problem as an hemispheric problem, where Mexico, the United States, Central America and South America, will all have to work to combat organized crime." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, CARLOS PASCUAL, SAYING: "I hope our Senate can appreciate that with that we are making progress and it's better to make that progress than continue to live in the situation we have had where drug dealers have tried to integrate their capabilities more, here and within Mexico." PASCUAL LEAVING
- Embargoed: 28th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA7F2D48TMV37KPFJ4I4GMEON0F
- Story Text: New Unites Stated Ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual flies into Mexico City and pledges to work in coordination with the region to combat organized crime.
Carlos Pascual, who was nominated by President Barack Obama as the new Unites Stated Ambassador to Mexico, flew into Mexico City on Tuesday (August 12).
Pascual has a 23 career in the United States Department of State, National Security Council (NSC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
He spoke to reporters about his goals in the new position.
"Well, the first thing President Barack Obama asked me to do was to work hard and to serve the interests of both countries which is what I will of course do," he told a news conference in Mexico City upon his arrival.
"I have been given this job to ensure that in an interconnected world, Mexico and the United States continue to work together in regards to their interests, today and in the future. The connections we have, economic, health, energy, security are real. We have an obligation with our people, to ensure we are able to advance together," said Pascual, who served as coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization at the U.S. Department of State, where he led and organized U.S. government planning to help stabilize and rebuild societies in transition from conflict to civil strife.
Pascual also mentioned Mexico's warring drug gangs. Washington is worried about the rising body count as Mexican gangs kill rivals in record numbers, despite Calderon's three-year army assault on the drug cartels.
Mexico says U.S. equipment and training under a $1.4 billion "Merida Initiative" package are taking too long to arrive, partly due to concerns in the U.S. Congress over Mexico's human rights record.
Pascual spoke about progress made.
"We reviewed progress made with the Merida programme in which 70 percent of funds which have been made available until now have been assigned. In a short while, we'll see a lot of the equipment which will arrive. Just as important, we spoke about the problem as an hemispheric problem, where Mexico, the United States, Central America and South America, will all have to work to combat organized crime."
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont has blocked what was described as a favorable U.S. State Department report on Mexico's human rights record, delaying the release of $100 million in U.S. aid intended to help Mexico fight narcotics traffickers.
Pascual said it was better to remain active in the fight against organized crime.
"I hope our Senate can appreciate that with that we are making progress and it's better to make that progress than continue to live in the situation we have had where drug dealers have tried to integrate their capabilities more, here and within Mexico," he said.
Pascual was Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia in 2003 where he oversaw regional and country assistance strategies to promote market-oriented and democratic states. Pascual has worked in the Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, South Africa and Mozambique.
He received a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1982 and a B.A. from Stanford University in 1980. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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