France, Mexico sign deals, vow joint positions for G20

MEXICO: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon signed a slew of business deals and vowed to boost growing ties on Monday.

Talks between the two leaders, during Sarkozy’s first visit to Mexico, focused on the economic crisis and joint positions ahead of a Group of 20 summit of industrial and developing nations in London in April.

“We’re going to do everything to bring a joint message” to the summit, Sarkozy said at a news conference with Calderon.

The two leaders signed deals on security, and on setting up a vaccine plant and a Franco-European helicopter factory in Mexico.

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and French group SAFRAN requires the factory to deal with a number of helicopter orders, Sarkozy said, without giving further details.

The two leaders also said a group of legal experts would study the possible transfer to France of a Frenchwoman jailed in Mexico on kidnapping charges, in a case that has sparked outrage in Mexico where abductions are rife.

The issue of Mexico’s drug violence has burst onto the international stage in recent weeks, with reports of growing attacks and trafficking activity from Mexican cartels across the United States, Canada and even West Africa.

Sarkozy said France would provide support to Mexico’s police to help Calderon in his battle against the cartels and the violence which has left more than 1,000 dead this year alone. “We want to help Mexico to resolve this alarming problem of insecurity,” Sarkozy said.

The Mexican president thanked France and also urged the United States to assume its responsibility in the fight against organized crime.

“If intelligence units of specialized police or military agencies in the United States have information on Mexican criminals in the United States, we want that information,” Calderon said.

Mexico City,Tuesday, AFP