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Originally Processed With FOIA(s): FOIA Number: S S FOIA MARKER This is not a textual record. This is used as an administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential Library Staff. Record Group/Collection: George H.W. Bush Presidential Records Collection/Office of Origin: Speechwriting, White House Office of Series: Speech File Backup Files Subseries: Chron File, 1989-1993 OA/ID Number: 13739 Folder ID Number: 13739-008 Folder Title: Lunch Toast, Mexico 11/27/90 [OA 7563] Stack: Row: Section: Shelf: Position: G 26 21 1 6 100 - ISO people Grant/Simon November 14, 1990, 12 noon A:MEXICO.TOA PRESIDENTIAL TOAST: STATE LUNCHEON GOVERNOR'S PALACE MONTERREY, MEXICO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1990 1:00 p.on. President Salinas, if I may, I would like to raise my glass to you, in thanks for your friendship, your counsel, and your commitment to a stronger relationship between our two countries. President Salinas and I both come from hometowns no more than 200 miles from our common border. We both grew up in families with a heritage of public service, and we were inaugurated at the same time in history. When we first met in Houston in 1988, neither of us had yet assumed office, but both were fully aware of the challenges facing us in the relations between our nations. ((In fact, when we first met, it was the day after your Harvard football team fell to the mighty men of Yale. I hope that Mexican-American relations have not been dealt a severe blow by last weekend's [loss/win] by [Harward/Yale]. )) Few countries are as important to the United States as Mexico is. Our southwest bears the imprint of your culture. Your nation is our third largest trading partner. Twelve million Americans call Mexico their madre patria. We have faced many challenges together, whether it is the conflict in Central America or the druglords in the Andes. In Houston and in our five meetings since then, you have always brought Mexico's perspective into positive focus, pointing 2 the way to the kind of communication and cooperation that has benefitted us both so much. Now we are on the verge of an historic Free Trade Agreement -- the symbol of how far our two countries have come in learning to understand, trust and work with one another. This agreement will unleash powerful energies in both economies. Countless new ventures will emerge. More jobs, higher standards of living, and greater productivity will make us both more competitive in the global arena. Mr. President, a relationship between two countries that are so different will always be a challenge. But its terms have been radically altered for the better -- by your penetrating insight into our common interests and lasting friendship. As you said in your State of the Union message, "We want to harness the new winds of change that are blowing beyond our borders." Without ignoring risks, you celebrated new freedoms and you saw fresh hope. Mr. President, I share your views enthusiastically. We are not on an easy path. But I firmly believe we are on the right one. And I sincerely hope that our two nations share the same path to freedom and opportunity for years to come. I hereby propose a toast, in the spirit of Houston and Monterrey. I raise my glass to the great leader of a great nation: President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. # # # THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON October 28, 1990 MEMORANDUM TO: DAVID DEMAREST CHRISS WINSTON SPEECHWRITER/RESEARCHER TO BE ASSIGNED FROM: CAROLYN CAWLEY SUBJECT: PREADVANCE TO MONTERREY, MEXICO President Bush will be traveling to Monterrey, Mexico November 26 -27, 1990. Mrs. Bush and Secretary Baker will accompany him. The proposed schedule is as follows: November 26, 1990 11:45 a.m. Arrive Monterrey, Mexico. Welcomed by Foreign Minister Solano 12:00 p.m. Helicopter departure to Agua Leguas, hometown of President Salinas 12:30 p.m. Meet President and Mrs. Salinas at an informal arrival 12:50 p.m. Rodeo demonstration at the local corral 1:45 p.m. Barbecue for the townspeople hosted by President Salinas. 5000 attendees expected. Very brief remarks -- Hello, thank you for the hospitality, etc. 3:15 - Downtime and private meetings 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Depart for Monterrey 5:30 p.m. POTUS and President Salinas arrive Monterrey for official arrival ceremony with full honors 5:40 - Government Palace -- they'll be received by 6:30 p.m. thousands of citizens in the Plaza. Firework displays and brief remarks by both Presidents. 6:30 p.m. End of official day November 27, 1990 9:00 a.m. Private One on One Meetings between the two Presidents. Photo opportunities. 9:20 a.m. Expanded bilateral meetings 10:40 a.m. City Theatre -- 15 minutes of remarks by each President. 1400 attendeees representing a cross section of the citizens of Monterrey. 11:45 a.m. Casino Monterrey ------ join the end of a meeting between Mexican business leaders hosted by Secretary Mosbacher and Trade Representative Hills. 250 attendees. Very brief remarks. 12:30 - Palacio Gobierno --- Dedication Ceremony for a 12:45 p.m. new Mexican - American Studies Institute. Very brief remarks. 1:00 - Palacio Gobierno -- Official Luncheon. 150 2:05 p.m. attendees. Toasts. 2:30 p.m. Arrive Airport 2:45 p.m. Depart Monterrey, Mexico for Andrews AFB PREADVANCE NOTES --- MONTERREY, MEXICO Contacts: ** Bob Earle, Embassy PAO (Mexico City) ** Bob Gibbons, US Consulate in Monterrey On economics: Paul Trivelli, US Embassy in Mexico City Don McConnell, US Embassy in Mexico City Notes of Interest: The Agua Leguas Rodeo and Barbecue: Agua Leguas means "Far Waters". It is President Salinas' ancestral home. It's located about 1 1/2 hours from Monterrey by car. Extremely rural small town. The town square is about all there is. The BBQ is expected to draw 5,000 people, many of whom will be Mexican children. This is really down home entertainment by President Salinas -- any remarks should acknowledge POTUS' pleasure at having been invited to this small town, the wonderful hospitality, etc. Draw on the years he spent in Texas etc. The BBQ plaza is down the street one half block from the Salinas home. -- Benito Juarez is known as the Father of Mexico. The dedication ceremony room at the Palace is named for him. -- You may also want to check up on Octavio Paz, recent Nobel Prize winner for literature. I was told he is very popular with the Mexican people and also very quotable for POTUS. -- A major landmark in Monterrey is Saddle Mountain. It does resemble a saddle and is visible from virtually everywhere. See photos. -- Note that Monterrey is a very small city that is far from everything else in Mexico. It's flat, but surrounded by hills. The countryside around it is almost desert-like, strewn with sagebrush and tumble weed. The land between Monterrey and Agua Leguas is virtually unpopulated, except for shack once in a great while. Monterrey is located in "Estado de Nuevo Leon" the state of the new lion. (check this translation!) Though it's far from everything else, Monterrey is Mexico's #2 industrial center. It's the home of a group of 10 conglomerates in steel, glass, and beer. The story says two guys decided to produce beer and decided they should also produce the bottles, then the caps, etc. All of Mexico's major brands of beer are made here. It's boom came in the 1890's with the railroad, though it has been a trading center since the 16th century. --- The national symbol, seen in all the government buildings including the facade above the podium for the Palace/ firework speeches is: an eagle landing on a cactus. It is an Aztec symbol for the founding of Mexico. -- I was told that FDR was the last US President to visit Monterrey, in April 1943. Reagan visited Mexico, though not Monterrey. Check on Bush's visits as VP. -- You may want to look into Lincoln quotes for these speeches. I saw several quotations of his displayed in various buildings, though they were in Spanish and I didn't have time to write them down. The city Theatre is a very modern structure. The main auditorium, site of the speeches, is gray and black and fairly nondescript. It's mainly used for performing arts. There are two tiers of seats, just like any performance hall. Palacio Gobierno is a huge and magnificent structure at one end of a major plaza. The plaza has a big fountain in the center and has 4 statues of historical figures. See photos. The mountains in the distance appear larger than life. The two Presidents will appear on the front steps of the Palace and will make brief remarks there following a fireworks display. Palacio Gobierno Luncheon. Luncheon for 100-150 guests. It will be held either in an open courtyard or an enclosed one topped with stained glass. Salon de Benito Juarez. Room for the dedication ceremony for the Mexican-American Studies Institute. The program is a joint venture between the University of Nuevo Leon/ the Monterrey Technical Institute and US Universities. I couldn't find anyone to tell me more. Best to check with Bob Earle, PAO at the Embassy in Mexico City!