(10:00 a.m. EST)
MS. MELUZÁ: Let us start today by asking you something that is in the news, that is not related to Mexico. It is related to Iran. The New York Times published today, as you know, a report about, a (inaudible) report, that says basically that the information that we have on intelligence in Iraq is inadequate and so is the one in North Korea. But given the concerns about the absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the problems we've had with intelligence, what is your reaction to this? How would this change the policy or the language about Iran?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, I have not seen the report, and so I can't comment on the report. But, of course, Iran is not an easy place to know precisely what is going on. It's a very closed-in society. Nonetheless, I would just note that there are a number of countries, and indeed the International Atomic Energy Agency itself that are concerned about suspicious activities in Iran. That is why there have been IAEA investigators going out to Iran. That is why the Russians have determined that when they build a nuclear reactor for Iran, they will have to take back the fuel so that there is no proliferation risk. And, of course, that is why there are negotiations going on with the European-3 and Iran because everyone is concerned that Iran may be using its civilian nuclear program to hide a military program.
MS. MELUZÁ: But are you concerned that you may be getting wrong information of intelligence regarding Iran?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we are always concerned about the quality of intelligence at any time, but I believe that there is enough evidence that there are problems with Iran's civilian nuclear power ambitions and that's why you have so many countries trying to make sure that there is no proliferation risk.
MS. MELUZÁ: Madame Secretary, you are arriving in Mexico tomorrow and the Mexicans are expecting that these will somehow accelerate what's on the top of their agenda -- the immigration talks, the immigration plan of the President. Both the Republicans and the Democrats in Congress are showing very little interest in this plan and it appears to be dead in Congress. What is the Administration telling them on this?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, the President has long been interested in having an immigration policy that speaks to several needs: first of all, that speaks to certain economic realities about the relationship between the United States and Mexico; that speaks to the humanitarian concerns that people have had about people who cross the border in search for a better life; but of course, also concerned that we make certain that people know that they cannot simply violate our laws.
And so the President has a temporary worker plan that he has shared with members of Congress. I'm certain that over a period of time here, we will be able to make progress on this. This is a very difficult issue and I remember being with President Fox and President Bush when they both said that it is important to do this right. Yes, we all want to see it get done quickly, but most importantly, we want to see it get done in the right way.
MS. MELUZÁ: Some are saying that the President has not invested the political capital that is needed in Congress, in this immigration plan, that we're waiting -- I'm sorry -- the Administration is waiting for the Congress to act. Is the Administration policy going to change in this, or is it an issue that we send something to Congress? How is this going to be advanced?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, there are a number of potential immigration plans already. After all, it is the Congress who will legislate this not the Administration. The President has a plan and he is working with members of Congress. I would just note that he gave it a significant portion of his State of the Union speech about this particular issue. And so, it is something that is important to him. He is in discussions with members of the Congress and we would hope to be able to move it along soon. But it's a very difficult issue and we do need to make certain that it's done right.
MS. MELUZÁ: What do you think will come out from your visit, first, to Mexico? And what can we expect to come out of the meeting of both President Bush and President Fox?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, I'm looking forward to going to Mexico, because, of course, a close friend and neighbor. We have a lot of issues to discuss and the presidents will meet in Texas, along with the Canadian Prime Minister, on March 23rd, and I'm in part going to prepare that visit. It will be an opportunity to talk about immigration and how we might move forward. It is an opportunity to talk about our joint North America issues: security issues, border security, trying to make sure that goods and services can move but that people who are trying to hurt us cannot move.
It's an opportunity to talk about economic opportunity. The NAFTA has been very good to both economies, but the idea of a North America in which we have even freer trade and in which we begin to remove the barriers to further investment and trade is one that is very much on the President's mind. And, of course, we have a number of bilateral issues as well, including a water policy and how to deal with concerns about the management of our water treaty.
MS. MELUZÁ: Are you going to tell them something in particular about the water convention?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, I have already had some discussions when Foreign Minister Derbez was here about the need to fulfill the obligations, but this is an area in which we've been working really quite well together and I would hope to see great progress.
MS. MELUZÁ: You are arriving in Mexico at the time when many sectors in Mexico are saying that the United States, given some recent decisions like the human rights report from the State Department and Advisory -- Travel Advisory from the State Department, and some are saying that the United States is judging Mexico too much. As they say, is the United States meddling, like they say in Mexico, with the internal affairs of Mexico?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, the United States has long been concerned about human rights around the world and this is not aimed at Mexico, and I think everybody would note the tremendous changes that have taken place in Mexico as Mexico is becoming, or has become, a vibrant democracy with competitive elections. There have been enormous changes in Mexico over the last several years and everybody in the United States would both welcome those and acknowledge them.
We do a human rights report that is worldwide and we talk about countries worldwide, including many of our democratic friends. And as to the Travel Advisory, that's a different matter altogether. We do have an obligation when we believe that there is a problem or a potential danger to warn our citizens.
But again, we have made a lot of progress in working with Mexico on border security. The President believes that when we do move forward, for instance, on the temporary worker program, that that will improve our chances for a secure border.
MS. MELUZÁ: Are they doing enough?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we can all do more. The United States can do more to make its borders more secure, to enhance technology. We've had with Canada and Mexico Smart Border initiatives that try to bring technology into play to help us improve our borders. So when we say that more needs to be done, we would also say that we need to do more.
MS. MELUZÁ: This will be your first trip to Latin America and, as you well know, in many Latin American capitals the feeling is that, especially after 9/11, the United States has completely abandoned the region. How would your policies change that perception? What will your policy and your actions change that perception first?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, I understand the perception but I would just note that the first trip the President took after his inaugural was to the APEC Committee, which was in Chile. He visited a number of places. He's now going to see President Fox and Prime Minister Martin in Texas. We, of course, have had very extensive trade activity in Latin America. Free trade agreements have been signed. And, of course, we are working on this North America initiative, which will push NAFTA into the future. We have a huge agenda with Latin America and we continue to pursue it and pursue it actively. That will not change in this next term.
MS. MELUZÁ: What will you say to those in the region also that this perception -- and as you well know, it doesn't matter how much you tell them what you do, they -- that's the feeling and the public opinion. And they also say that you lack the experience in the region and this would somehow aggravate and that you're not going to be interested in the region because you lack experience in the region.
SECRETARY RICE: I'm the Secretary of State and I'm the Secretary of State to represent the United States worldwide. I lack no experience about -- I have very deep experience about Russia and Europe because I speak the Russian language, I've done a lot of research on Russia. But I have spent as National Security Advisor the last four years doing the policies of the United States worldwide, including in Latin America, and I look very much forward to visiting Mexico and then visiting the region.
MS. MELUZÁ: Are you concerned about the marked tendency to the left in Latin America? And, in concluding, Mexico there is a possibility that the government goes to the left in Mexico as well in the next election. What do you attribute it to and are you concerned about that?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, this is all within the context of democratic enterprise, that countries are choosing, people are choosing their leaders. Whether it is left, right, right of center, left of center, as long as it's within the democratic structure of these countries I think the United States has to respect that. And we have some very good relationships with, for instance, President Lula of Brazil. This is really an excellent relationship between the President and President Lula.
To the degree that we do need, as a region, to be concerned not just about economic growth, which has been burgeoning over the last few years, not just about free trade, but also about whether those benefits are getting to the people, whether health is improving, whether education is improving. The President spoke about this recently when he was in Monterrey, Mexico, that the next chapter for NAFTA, the next chapter for the Summit of the Americas process, the next chapter for what we are doing in the Monterrey consensus, is to make sure that the growth and the economic vitality is indeed also changing people's lives.
MS. MELUZÁ: One very quick reaction from you. I know my time is over. But I wanted to ask you, President Hugo Chavez -- Venezuela is at the top of the concerns about Latin America and you have had very strong words for him. Is he -- first, is he consolidating, you think, a Cuba-style dictatorship in Venezuela? And what do you respond to when he says that U.S. wants to kill him?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, it's ludicrous, a completely ludicrous charge, and I would hope he knows that because the only concerns that we have are that Venezuela be governed democratically. Given that he was elected, he should govern democratically, and secondly, that he should not interfere in the affairs of his neighbors. Those are the issues and these are issues for the region. This is very much the Charter of the Organization of American States and all we ask is that Venezuela live up to it.
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