Webcast | Report Launch and Conversation on U.S.-Mexico Relations with Current and Former Ambassadors
Speaker 1:
Ambassador Landau. It’s over to you.
Ambassador Christopher Landau:
Thank you. Just very briefly, I have to just say what a pleasure it is to hear so many thoughtful and insightful comments on the US-Mexico relationship. I think there’s no doubt that this is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. I think certainly it is for each of our two countries. I think it’s only going to get stronger over time. I’m optimistic about the long-term trajectory of this relationship. There’s certainly going to always be bumps along the way, but I think they’re the kind of bumps and disputes you have within a family, and I think there’s a strong sense, and the recent agreement only confirmed that, that we’re on the same team. I think that’s so important. I think it’s relatively new. I don’t think that was always the case for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, for obvious reasons.
I wanted to pick up on one of the questions that was asked about civil society and businesses because this is a big theme of mine that … Martha and I are the two ambassadors at the moment, and to some extent, therefore, we represent the bilateral relationship, but there are so many ambassadors who actually, I think, are far more consequential. I think it’s people like all of those of you on this call who care about the bilateral relationship, who study the bilateral relationship, the businesses who invest on either side of the border, the students who go back and forth. I think that is the connective tissue that, ultimately, it keeps the relationship strong.
Again, we’re going to have ups and downs at the governmental level. I think the overall arc, or trend, is moving in the right direction. I think it’s important that these bilateral relationships transcend political party on both sides of the border because these are two countries and two peoples that have a relationship, not just individual political parties or politicians. So, I just want to say, I always believe that it’s part of my job to highlight some of these other aspects of the connective tissue of the relationship. It’s why I enjoy so much participating in events like this and think they’re so valuable. So thank you for inviting me and I look forward to continuing to work with all of you. [Gracias].
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much Ambassador Landau for joining us