…to facilitate cooperation and promote mutual understanding
RELATIONS between Guyana and Mexico were taken a step further with the signing yesterday of a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a Consultative Mechanism on Matters of Common Interests.
The agreement, which would establish a mechanism for regular consultation between representatives of the two countries at all levels.
At a ceremony in the main conference room of the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, affixing their respective signatures on behalf of their governments were  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues –Birkett, and Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Sandoval. 
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, in brief remarks, stated that the consultations will focus on all aspects of bilateral relations, such as political, economic, scientific, technical, environmental and cultural.
She recalled that diplomatic relations between Guyana and Mexico were established in 1993, and since then, bilateral relations have been significantly strengthened. The Mexican Embassy was established here in 2009.
Mexico is the first Central American country to have established an embassy in this country. Since then, Mexican culture, through cultural and culinary shows, has been brought to Guyana through the many events organized by the Embassy, headed by Ambassador Sandoval.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, several technical and cooperation agreements have been signed.
In February, 2009, the Government of Mexico began issuing long-term tourism and business visas for up to 10 years for nationals of Guyana, and two-year visas for trans-migrants, Guyanese nationals intransit through Mexico.
This initiative prompted Guyana to put in place similar procedures, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said.
As for benefits derived within the last decade, the minister said Guyana has also been the recipient of scholarships to Mexico in several areas, including environmental studies, water resources management, engineering, and others.
Also, the Guyana Government is currently in receipt of additional scholarship offers from the Mexican Government, for courses to begin in the 2012 academic year.
Noting that the two countries share similar views in many areas, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett recalled President Jagdeo’s announcement of Guyana lending full support to the Mexican candidacy for securing the IMF leadership position, which it, however, did not succeed in gaining.
Guyana, she added, felt that it was time for the IMF leadership to  come from a developing country, to allow for some of the issues faced by such countries to be ventilated at that level.
And, with similar views in the areas of agriculture, the Foreign Minister said Guyana was pleased to support Mexico’s candidate for the position of IICA Director General.
The IICA Director General, she said, should be visiting Guyana shortly and will be holding talks with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, with a view to discussing this country’s cooperation with IICA.
On the issue of climate change, another area where Guyana and Mexico share similar views, the Foreign Minister reminded that President Calderon’s suggestion of the establishment of a Green Fund received many kudos at a 2010 meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
Reiterating that there are many areas in which Guyana and Mexico are at one, the minister re-emphasised that the MOU will ensure that there is a permanent mechanism for dialogue on all the areas of mutual interest.
Minister Rodrigues- Birkett publicly thanked Ambassador Sandoval  for having “hit the ground running”, allowing the Guyanese populace to be more familiar with Mexico though some of the activities staged here.

She assured him that, with the blue-print in place, Guyana/Mexico relations will definitely be further strengthened.
Responding briefly, the Mexican envoy, who thanked the minister for her support during his stint here, described the potential in the relationship between the two countries as “enormous”.
He sees the signing of the MOU as laying the foundation for a stronger and closer institutional relationship between the two countries, as it aims to facilitate  mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote mutual understanding.
Additionally, it will institutionalise a constructive and permanent dialogue between Mexico and Guyana, leading to a stronger relationship between the peoples and governments of the two countries, through periodic high level consultations on bilateral relations and exchanges of views in areas of mutual interest, Ambassador Sandoval said.