Mexico accepts Israeli offer to help develop Central America (updated)
14/09/2017 23:27
(Adds details on trade pact and plan for Central America)
MEXICO CITY, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Mexico President Enrique
Pena Nieto said on Thursday that his country had accepted
Israel's offer to help it and the United States develop Central
America, as Israel and Mexico seek to deepen business ties.
Speaking at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Pena Nieto added that the two nations had
agreed to update their free trade agreement, which was signed in
2000.
"We have agreed to establish and begin the ... negotiations
to look over this agreement so that the commercial relationship
between both nations intensifies and grows," he said.
Netanyahu was joined by a business delegation including
representatives from communications firm AudioCodes Ltd
AUDC.TA , cyber security firm Verint Systems Inc VRNT.O and
Mer Group MTSL.O , which specializes in telecommunications and
cyber security.
In Central America, Pena Nieto said Israel's assistance
could bolster the United States and Mexico's efforts in the
region, particularly in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. He
noted that Israel brings experience from carrying out
development projects in Africa.
The United States and Mexico have been seeking to encourage
investment in infrastructure improvements in Central America's
so-called Northern Triangle in an effort to stem migration to
the United States.
Netanyahu's trip marked the first visit to Mexico by a
sitting Israeli prime minister, Pena Nieto said. At the close of
the news conference, Netanyahu invited Pena Nieto to Jerusalem.
The relationship between the nations was strained earlier
this year by a tweet in which Netanyahu appeared to praise U.S.
President Donald Trump's plans to build a wall on the Mexican
border. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin later issued a statement
apologizing for any misunderstanding. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N1FL6A4
(Reporting by Julia Love and Sharay Angulo; additional
reporting by Stefanie Eschenbacher)
((Julia.Love@thomsonreuters.com, @byJuliaLove;
52)(55)(5282-7131;))
Keywords: MEXICO ISRAEL/