DHS SECRETARY FEBRUARY 15TH MEETING WITH MEXICO'S

UNCLAS MEXICO 000966 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR INL; WHA/MEX DHS FOR A/S J. MYERS; OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - K.O'REILLY; CBP - C.STALLWORTH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER SNAR MX SUBJECT: DHS SECRETARY FEBRUARY 15TH MEETING WITH MEXICO'S FINANCE SECRETARY AGUSTIN CARSTENS THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) During a two-day trip to Mexico City, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff met February 15 with Mexican Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Agustin Carstens. Both secretaries reaffirmed long-standing cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican customs officials. ¶2. (SBU) Secretary Carstens proposed that the two secretaries sign a memorandum of understanding to create a SIPDIS framework for bilateral cooperation, presenting Secretary Chertoff with a "discussion draft" entitled "United States-Mexico Customs Cooperation Framework Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)." Carstens proposed that both secretaries sign the MOU during the upcoming meeting between SIPDIS presidents Calderon and Bush, scheduled to take place on March 13 in Merida. ¶3. (SBU) Secretary Carstens said an MOU would serve as a framework to develop and implement mutually beneficial customs initiatives. The draft he presented to Secretary Chertoff proposes the following technical working groups: (1) Customs Personnel; (2) Strategic Border Management; (3) Customs Procedures and Information Technology; (4) Regional Customs Security; and (5) Customs Enforcement. 4 (SBU) Secretary Chertoff welcomed the initiative and said he would circulate it within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for review and comment, adding that he would ask Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Ralph Basham to take the lead within DHS to review the Mexican draft and develop a coordinated response. The Secretary said that in developing that response, Commissioner Basham would work closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie Myers. Carstens agreed that no cooperation agreement would be complete without the full involvement of both CBP and ICE. ¶5. (SBU) Without committing to sign a MOU at Merida, Secretary Chertoff agreed to work closely with Secretary SIPDIS Carstens to develop a combined U.S.-Mexico customs strategy and expressed the hope that Presidents Calderon and Bush could highlight that effort in public comments at Merida. ¶6. (SBU) Secretary Chertoff did not have an opportunity to review this message before leaving Mexico. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity GARZA