BILATERAL SECURITY AND COUNTERNARCOTICS DEBATED IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUADALAJARA 000094

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR KPAO MX
SUBJECT: BILATERAL SECURITY AND COUNTERNARCOTICS DEBATED IN
GUADALAJARA

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1. Summary: Two days of scholarly discussions in Guadalajara
on security issues and counter-narcotics challenges elaborated
convergent and divergent points in our bilateral relationship.
While we don't share the same world vision, the Merida
Initiative may be one concrete action on which the U.S. and
Mexico can agree to improve the lives of people on both sides of
the border. End summary.


2. Twenty academics seated around a table at the University of
Guadalajara Club won't solve the problem of U.S.-Mexico security
relations or effective counternarcotics operations, but their
analysis highlighted the opportunities and challenges we face,
especially in mounting a successful Merida Initiative. The mix
of international and local experts, most with significant
experience north of the border, was brought together by the
University of Guadalajara on February 21-22, assisted by the
Security Study Group of the Mexican Center for Economics
Research and Teaching (CIDE) and the College of Mexico (COLMEX),
both of Mexico City. These scholars specialize in U.S.-Mexican
bilateral relations and Mexican security and democracy. They
know each other well, so the exchange was open and friendly.

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Not singing from the same sheet of music
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3. Dissecting "U.S.-Mexico Security Relations" at the first
day's session, the speakers compared the U.S. and Mexican
national security views. They noted that Mexico's introspective
view and often anti-U.S. attitude has kept it out of the
international security arena. Mexican politics are domestic and
nationalist, pushing security policy in that direction. Because
the U.S. concept of national security is global, coordinating
bilateral efforts is difficult at best. Each country defines
its threats differently, which has been a stumbling block since
9/11.


4. Craig Deare of the National Defense University commented
that U.S. border security often has a public safety focus, while
border security constitutes international security for Mexico.
U.S. public opinion of Latin America tends to be homogenous,
although each country has its own concept of security with no
regional integration to speak of. One example of different
frames of reference is arms trafficking. The Mexican military
handles weapons registration south of the border, while the
civilian Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms does it in the
U.S. Another participant mentioned that digging tunnels under
the border is considered a crime in the U.S., but not on the
other side of the border.

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The neighbors' dilemma
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5. Several academics focused on the problem of balancing
security and development at the border. In recent years while
the U.S. focused on terrorism and immigration, narcotrafficking
and arms trafficking has grown, dragging down the border towns.
If the majority of crossers to the U.S. (daily workers and
shoppers) are not a security risk, they asked, why can't we
develop a more user-friendly system? Mexico and the U.S. need
to plan together better, dealing with corruption and other
structural problems. And Mexico needs to develop its own
concept of national security in order to respond to border and
other security issues.

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Merida Initiative musings
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6. When the discussion turned to the Merida Initiative,
opinions ranged from fears about U.S. forces operating on
Mexican soil to praise for the U.S. Congress' conditions that
would bring bilateral cooperation above board and require
evaluation of Mexican military participation. Another scholar
drew a comparison with NAFTA, that Mexico risked having its fate
decided in Washington. The limits of U.S.-Mexican cooperation
must also be defined. Others expressed concern about the
Mexican actors and the non-existent relationship between Mexican
civil and military forces, along with possible human rights
abuses. However, the overall tone regarding the Merida
Initiative was positive. For the first time, the Initiative
lays out a shared priority -- narcotrafficking.

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Media taking the punches
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7. The next day's session on "National Security,
Narcotrafficking and the Media" invited national and local
reporters to give their perspectives on the Mexican situation.

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Since the kidnapping and murder of Guadalajara DEA agent Kiki
Camarena in 1985, journalists played an increasingly larger role
in the low-intensity counter-narcotics war, facing increasing
danger. Now, with internet news outlets and events in the
Middle East, many international correspondents have left Mexico
to cover other world tragedies. The huge risks, impunity of
public officials and lack of trust between the media and
government (and military) make it extremely difficult for the
press to function as the fourth pillar of power. One journalist
expressed concern that the Merida Initiative would create the
same problems in Mexico as in Colombia for journalists' access
to information. Others commented more broadly on the need for
journalists to address the violence in Mexican society created
by narcotrafficking and try to reverse the culture that accepts
violence and polarizes society.

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Comment
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8. This healthy exchange of academic research and opinions
avoided U.S.-bashing and brought important points to the table.
The specialists closely following the Merida Initiative debate
noted that it has helped draw U.S. attention to Mexico (for
example, that Senator Lugar focused his recent remarks on the
arms flow to Mexico). Given sporadic protests over military
operations against narcotics trafficking and doubts about the
U.S. and Mexican governments' plans, bilateral cooperation is
still quite controversial. If these academic discussions can
play a role in informing policy and public outreach, we might
make some progress together. End comment.
RAMOTOWSKI