Remarks by The Vice President at a State Luncheon in Honor of President Calderón of Mexico and Mrs. Margarita Zavala

Statement

State Department

Washington, D.C.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Madam Secretary, thank you very much. Mr. President, it's an honor to be with you today. It's an honor to have you all here today.

We gather here today with a -- shared goals and a common vision of the future for Mexico and the United States. To state the obvious, we share a range of common interests and a common vision for how as neighbors we can together make life better for every Mexican and every American.

Mr. President, this State visit demonstrates just how -- just how much our futures and fates are intertwined. Environmental conservation, clean energy, climate change, nuclear nonproliferation and the social and economic well-being of our citizens -- we approach each of these issues with a common objective of building a widespread prosperity for the people of both our countries in this hemisphere.

A critical shared interest, Mr. President, is the mutual desire to provide security for all our citizens. And, Mr. President, we admire -- and I personally admire -- your courage and your determination to confront the drug cartels. And we're equally determined to confront them with you.

Now, to state the obvious, Mr. President, we know that our border poses challenges for both our countries, but it also provides mutual benefit -- economic, social, cultural -- if managed efficiently and securely. As we share responsibility for a strong, secure, and stable border -- and that is a commitment we have both already assumed -- we will have strong and secure and stable communities.

Mr. President, in the end our goals are the same as yours. We togeth

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