QUESTION: Okay. Perhaps you already saw the (inaudible) in the Mexican congress. I would like to know how do you think this can affect or change the American perception of the Mexican democracy?

MR. CASEY: I'm afraid I haven't seen any stories related to that. Look, I think one thing that is clear to us is we do have faith in the Mexican political system and the Mexican constitutional order. Certainly there are a number of internal issues and internal political issues for Mexico's political leaders and the Mexican Government to deal with. But the important thing is that they be dealt with and they be managed by Mexico and by Mexicans in accordance with the constitutional order, in accordance with Mexico's legal norms and standards. And we frankly believe that through the electoral process, we have seen Mexico's institutions tested in a very difficult situation and have seen them act in a way that we think is -- does credit to the Mexican people and to Mexico's democratic institutions.

QUESTION: Then perhaps you are familiar with the comments of Senator Joseph Biden in regards with how the corruption in Mexico can be affecting or causing illegal immigration and perhaps drug smuggling into the United States. Do you agree with these points of view?

MR. CASEY: Well, I haven't seen Senator Biden's comments. What I will say is this, we have a very broad and very important relationship with Mexico. We have a common interest in dealing with all of the kinds of concerns you expressed. We want to see safe and orderly migration. We want to make sure that our borders are secure, but we want to make sure that they are open to Mexican citizens who are coming here on -- for work or for travel. The President, as you know, has put forward a very serious proposal for immigration reform that would help address a number of those concerns. We certainly have a very strong relationship with Mexico and a cooperative one in terms of dealing with the serious problem of narcotics, which is a problem that needs to be addressed on both sides of the border to be able to have impact.

So again, I think these are all issues that the United States and Mexico have been working on together and I certainly expect we will under the new government.

QUESTION: Can you allow me one more?

MR. CASEY: All right. Let's go one more and then I think we need to move around.

QUESTION: In regards with the investigation around the circumstances of the death of the American journalist in Oaxaca, is the U.S. Government satisfied?

MR. CASEY: Well, I think you may have seen -- we did post an answer to that question yesterday. There's an ongoing investigation. Certainly we continue to be in touch with the Mexican Government about that. This was a tragic circumstance and certainly we continue to express our condolences to the family of the victim. But at the moment, that is an ongoing investigation and I think we're going to wait and see what the results are and how the Mexican judicial system and police authorities deal with this question before I'd be in a position to give you any sort of final judgments on it.

Arshad.

QUESTION: Tom, as you may have seen, Fidel Castro is quoted as saying that he is too ill to attend birthday celebrations. And among other things in the message that was read out on his behalf, he said, "I bid you farewell with great sorrow." Do you have any reason to believe that his health has deteriorated further and do you have any independent reason to believe that and do you have anything fresh to say about the nature of the government led by his brother that is now in place?

MR. CASEY: Well, Arshad, I don't have anything new to offer you in terms of the status of Fidel Castro's health. We've seen the same public statements you have on it. And frankly, the Cuban Government isn't generally very sharing when it comes to information on Fidel's health, at least not with us.

In terms of what happens or what a transition looks like, you've heard us say before that the creation of some sort of Castro dynasty simply by transferring power to Raul Castro and having him continue to operate the same undemocratic repressive policies as his brother is certainly not a solution that we think is viable. We think the Cuban people need to be given the opportunity to see and have democratic change. We believe that is what the Cuban people would like to have and we very much believe that what is important for us is to be able to aid the Cuban people as they move through any potential transition so that those kinds of democratic aspirations could be realized.