MEXICO-UNITED STATES INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP FIFTH CONFERENCE I. BACKGROUND U.S. participation in annual Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Conferences was authorized by Public Law 86-420, approved April 9, 1960. The Interparliamentary Group meets in Mexico in oddnumbered years and in the United States in even-numbered years, to discuss matters of mutual interest. Hence, the first, third, and fifth meetings were held in Mexico, the latter this past February at La Paz, Territory of Lower California (Baja California Sur). Pursuant to the terms of the authorizing legislation, the U.S. group consists of 12 Members of the House appointed by the Speaker, and 12 Members of the Senate, appointed by the Vice President. At least four of the Representatives and four of the Senators are to be members of the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations Committees, respectively. These members are appointed to serve for the duration of a Congress, while the other members are appointed for a single meeting of the Group. The U.S. delegation participating in the fifth meeting consisted of the following Members of Congress: From the House of Representatives: Robert N. C. Nix, of Pennsylvania, chairman 1 Harris B. McDowell, Jr., of Delaware 1 James C. Wright, Jr., of Texas Ronald Brooks Cameron, of California 1 Henry B. Gonzalez, of Texas Edward J. Derwinski, of Illinois 1 William L. Springer, of Illinois 1 F. Bradford Morse, of Massachusetts 1 James Harvey, of Michigan Alphonzo Bell, of California From the Senate: John J. Sparkman, of Alabama, chairman 2 Wayne Morse, of Oregon 2 Mike Mansfield, of Montana 2 Albert Gore, of Tennessee 2 1 Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. 'Member of Foreign Relations Committee. Wallace F. Bennett, of Utah Milward L. Simpson, of Wyoming Paul J. Fannin, of Arizona The Mexican delegates were: From the Chamber of Deputies: Alfonso Martínez Domínguez, of Nuevo León, chairman Ing. Francisco Pérez Ríos, of México Lic. Miguel Covián Pérez, of the Federal District Lic. José Antonio Cobos Panamá, of Veracruz From the Senate: Manuel Tello, of Zacatecas, chairman Lic. Alfredo Ruiseco Avellaneda, of Colima Gen. Cristóbal Guzmán Cárdenas, of Durango Lic. Carlos Sansores Pérez, of Campeche Dr. Juan José González Bustamente, of San Luis Potosí Ing. Eulalio Gutiérrez Treviño, of Coahuila (alternate) The U.S. delegation arrived in Chihuahua, Chih., on February 11, 1965, where they were welcomed by the Mexican delegation. The following day both the Mexican and United States delegations traveled to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, via the Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad. On February 13, the group flew to Mazatlán, and in the late afternoon proceeded by seamer to La Paz, Territory of Lower California, arriving the next day. The sessions of the Conference were held in La Paz on February 15 and 16. On the 17th, the Group went to Mexico City where members of both delegations had the privilege of being received by President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz. The United States delegation returned to Washington on February 18. The House delegation wishes to express its deep and sincere appreciation to the Mexican delegation, to the Permanent Commission of the Mexican Congress and to other Mexican officials for their cordial hospitality; to the Constitutional Governor of the State of Chihuahua. Gen. Praxedis Giner Durán; to the Constitutional Governor of the State of Sinaloa, Hon. Leopoldo Sánchez Celis; to Division General Bonifacio Salinas Leal, Governor of the Territory of Lower California; and to the municipal authorities and people of the cities of Chihuahua, Los Mochis, Mazatlan, and La Paz. It is also indebted to U.S. Ambassador Fulton Freeman and his able staff for the assistance given the delegation in La Paz, Mazatlan, and Mexico City; also Lic. Juan Pérez-Abreu J., administrative director for the Mexican delegation, and Lic. Luis Farias, Official Mayor, Department of Tourism of Mexico, and their staffs, who were responsible for coordinating arrangements and procedures for the Conference. II. WORK OF THE CONFERENCE The formal opening of the Conference was held in the "Casa de la Juventud" (House of Youth) in La Paz, at which time Gen. Bonifacio Salinas Leal, Governor of the Territory of Lower California, and Deputy Alfonso Martínez Dominguez, chairman of the Mexican delegation, gave welcoming addresses. Senator Sparkman responded on behalf of the U.S. delegation. Following this plenary session, the detailed work of the Conference was undertaken by three committees, in accordance with the following agenda : I. Economic Committee: 1. Commercial policy: A. Tariffs and quotas (a) Cotton (b) Coffee (d) Seafood (e) Petroleum (f) Sulfur (g) Soft goods and cotton products (i) Cattle (j) Lead (k) Silver (1) Zinz (m) Copper (n) Other products 2. Economic development: 51-687-65 A. Alliance for Progress: (a) Social investment (schools, hospitals, housing) (b) Economic investment (directly productive in economic terms) B. Direct and indirect investment (both public and private) C. Other investment D. International organizations: ECLA (Economic Commission for Latin America), IA-ECOSOC (Inter-American Economic and Social Council), UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), Inter-American Development Bank, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Export-Import Bank, International Monetary Fund, International Finance Corporation, CIAP (Inter --2 |