McClatchy DC Logo

Mexico's Fox remains opposed to U.S. attack on Iraq | McClatchy Washington Bureau

×
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscriber Services

    • All White House
    • Russia
    • All Congress
    • Budget
    • All Justice
    • Supreme Court
    • DOJ
    • Criminal Justice
    • All Elections
    • Campaigns
    • Midterms
    • The Influencer Series
    • All Policy
    • National Security
    • Guantanamo
    • Environment
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Water Rights
    • Guns
    • Poverty
    • Health Care
    • Immigration
    • Trade
    • Civil Rights
    • Agriculture
    • Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • All Nation & World
    • National
    • Regional
    • The East
    • The West
    • The Midwest
    • The South
    • World
    • Diplomacy
    • Latin America
    • Investigations
  • Podcasts
    • All Opinion
    • Political Cartoons

  • Our Newsrooms

Latest News

Mexico's Fox remains opposed to U.S. attack on Iraq

Susana Hayward - Knight Ridder Newspapers

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 19, 2003 03:00 AM

MEXICO CITY—Mexican President Vicente Fox remains opposed to U.S. military action against Iraq and said he would view "with great sadness and displeasure" any U.S. attack without the United Nations' approval.

In an interview late Tuesday, Fox called his position on Iraq the first major disagreement he has had with the Bush administration. But he said he didn't anticipate retaliation from the United States.

"I wouldn't expect in any way reprisals," Fox said. He noted that while he hadn't spoken with President Bush for several weeks, he and other Mexican officials have had daily contact with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Mexico is a member of the U.N. Security Council and will be expected to vote on any resolution that the United States might present seeking authorization for a military strike. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar is to arrive in Mexico on Thursday to discuss Iraq with Fox. Spain backs the U.S. position.

SIGN UP

Fox didn't say how his country would vote on such a resolution. But in the most extensive remarks he has made to date, he left it clear that the United Sates is unlikely to win Mexico's support for military action.

"We want the only course to be through the United Nations and only through the Security Council, only multilaterally," he said. He said the position would help push the United States "to find other methods to disarm Saddam Hussein and Iraq."

Fox said he hoped that in the next few days there would be an "exit to disarm Iraq without war, and most of all that we don't have a war because of a unilateral decision."

Fox spoke at his office in the presidential residence of Los Pinos during a meeting to mark the launch in Mexico City of The Miami Herald's International Edition. The newspaper began printing in Mexico City last week in association with the Mexico City daily paper El Universal. Fox met with Herald Chairman and Publisher Alberto Ibarguen, El Universal President Juan Francisco Ealy Ortiz and other officials from the newspapers. He praised the project between the papers as important to freedom of the press.

"There's never been in Mexico such liberty of expression," Fox said. The project is the result "of progress and democracy that my government supports and wants."

Mexico previously has been adamant in the Security Council against U.S. military action. Last fall, it played a crucial role in transforming a U.N. resolution sought by the United States that would have authorized a U.S. military strike on Iraq. The altered resolution called for weapons inspectors to go to Iraq to determine if the country was manufacturing biological and other weapons of mass destruction.

Fox acknowledged that his position on Iraq puts his nation in a delicate diplomatic circumstance. Fox, Mexico's first president in 71 years who isn't from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, had hoped his government would be able to strike agreements with the Bush administration on a number of thorny issues, particularly on easing conditions for hundreds of thousands of Mexicans who live and work illegally in the United States.

Those efforts were largely sidelined by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, and U.S. Ambassador Antonio Garza has said the United States expects "solidarity" from Mexico on Iraq.

Still, Fox said Mexico now had a more trusting relationship with the United States, allowing both sides to share "very confidential and very secret information" to fight terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.

"It is surprising that we have advanced so much," he said. "In the past, American authorities rarely offered any information to Mexico. This is totally surpassed, and with excellent results."

———

(c) 2003, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

PHOTO (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): MEXICO-FOX

Iraq

  Comments  

Videos

Democrats announce Green New Deal

Sen. McConnell says Trump will sign spending bill and declare a national emergency

View More Video

Trending Stories

Jared Kushner privately working on reshaping legal immigration

February 20, 2019 05:00 PM

Trump slams California’s ‘fast train’ as Gavin Newsom leads 16 states suing over border wall

February 19, 2019 10:46 AM

Stacey Abrams appearance at voting rights hearing has political overtones, GOP says

February 19, 2019 10:20 AM

VP Mike Pence plans visit to South Carolina to tour Opportunity Zones with Tim Scott

February 19, 2019 05:22 PM

Why Trump’s tweets could be used against him in California’s border emergency lawsuit

February 19, 2019 05:15 PM

Read Next

Republicans rally around Trump after McCabe asserts DOJ discussed removing the president

Congress

Republicans rally around Trump after McCabe asserts DOJ discussed removing the president

By David Lightman and

Lesley Clark

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 04:53 PM

Republicans are on the offensive trying to discredit former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, who has said Justice officials discussed possible ways to remove President Donald Trump from office

KEEP READING

MORE LATEST NEWS

Massive public lands bill expected to receive easy approval in the House

Congress

Massive public lands bill expected to receive easy approval in the House

February 20, 2019 12:54 PM
‘You’re my guy’: Top Senate Dem urges Jaime Harrison to challenge Lindsey Graham

Elections

‘You’re my guy’: Top Senate Dem urges Jaime Harrison to challenge Lindsey Graham

February 20, 2019 12:12 PM
VP Mike Pence plans visit to South Carolina to tour Opportunity Zones with Tim Scott

Congress

VP Mike Pence plans visit to South Carolina to tour Opportunity Zones with Tim Scott

February 19, 2019 05:22 PM

Congress

Stacey Abrams appearance at voting rights hearing has political overtones, GOP says

February 19, 2019 10:20 AM
On offshore drilling, Mark Sanford and Joe Cunningham find their legacies are linked

Congress

On offshore drilling, Mark Sanford and Joe Cunningham find their legacies are linked

February 15, 2019 05:00 AM
McConnell’s opposition to Green New Deal comes as he backs not-so-green resource: coal

Congress

McConnell’s opposition to Green New Deal comes as he backs not-so-green resource: coal

February 15, 2019 02:10 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

McClatchy Washington Bureau App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Newsletters
Learn More
  • Customer Service
  • Securely Share News Tips
  • Contact Us
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story