Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 17, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Mexico welcomes Locke request for more trade

MEXICO CITY - On the first full day of his trade mission to Mexico, Gov. Gary Locke got an enthusiastic reception from top Mexican officials in a series of meetings designed to promote more trade between Mexico and Washington state.

Locke arrived in Mexico City on Monday evening with a delegation of nearly 100 agriculture, business, educational, medical and energy executives and consultants from Washington state.

Mexico is one of Washington's top 20 trading partners and is the number two trading partner of the United States. From 1997 to 1998, the value of Washington exports to Mexico nearly tripled, from $259 million to $609 million.

"The trend is clear," Locke told officials of the Mexican government today. "Your country and our state are doing a lot of business, and we are going to be doing a lot more in the near future. We welcome your products and services in Washington, and we want to get more of our products and services into Mexico."

In an unusual development for a visiting U. S. governor, Locke is being greeted in meeting after meeting by top officials of the national government. He met today with Secretary of Foreign Relations Rosario Green and Secretary of Energy Luis Tellez.

Sec. Green praised Locke's strong support for the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, which has removed trade barriers for many goods and services.

Sec. Tellez told Locke and energy executives that Mexico badly needs Washington state's help to bring more electricity to Mexico, but he noted that the Mexican electricity industry must first be deregulated and that will take a change in the constitution. But he was optimistic.

On Wednesday, Locke will meet with Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo.

"There is a very surprising degree of interest in Gov. Locke and Washington state by the federal officials here," said Fernando De La Mora-Navarrete, a banker with BANCOMEXT in Mexico City. "What it means is that Mexico is serious about building stronger relationships with Washington state and in increasing trade, both ways."

State legislators traveling with Locke are Representatives Phyllis Kenney, Sandra Romero, Steve Van Luven and Jim Clements.

Officials of Boeing, Microsoft, Puget Sound Energy, Nextel, AT & T and Swedish Medical Center are among the many representatives of business, education and medical leaders accompanying Locke on his week-long Mexico trade mission.

Agriculture officials include the leaders of the Washington Potato Commission, the Washington Apple Commission and the Washington Fruit Commission.

The trade mission delegates traveling with Locke are holding meetings with their Mexican counterparts each day.

After meeting with President Zedillo on Wednesday, Locke and the Washington delegation will travel to Washington's sister state of Jalisco, beginning in the capital city of Guadalajara. The delegation returns to Washington on evening of Friday, Aug. 20.

» Return to this month's News Releases

» View News Release Archive