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That said, I would now like to talk about what we can do together as two countries. This is the main reason Mr. Fox, President of Mexico, established a new commission to coordinate the federal government in northern Mexico and the six border states that have a boundary with the southwest United States. We are neighbors and as such share similar opportunities and prob- lems. I have talked with different representatives from the United States government and the governors of the border states and have been able to add a vision that has evolved due to the growing trade between our two nations. This region can grow very much. We know this growth has increased very rapidly but this promising future also has its limitations. One of them is real and natural and happens to be to day's topic: water. I also am looking at the future with optimism. We should address these JLmitations in our region and try to see t~ use our resources efficientlY:. The reasons are ~iear but there is a need for investment in order to continue implementing this vision. This calls for a lot of information sharing and understand- ing, both of which will be supported in what we are discussing today. Therefore, I see, in this spirit, the future of our region. We have to seek to work together to improve the water situation in both countrips and eventuallYt this rlliiyiilean ~ - ~.~ . we have to administer what is done with the ' "v.ater from a common.!:~~in. I wish you a lot of luck in your discussions and a fruitful day. Thank you. VICTOR HERMOSILLO CELADA MAYOR OF MEXICALI: Mr. Hermosillo expressed his remorse over the events of September 11. He talked about the history of the region and how 150 years ago, the region had a small population and no border. The introduction of the border is man-made but that the geography has not changed and the Colorado River still flows from north to south. Up until the mid-20th Century, border issues were of little concern but times have since 002244 changed. In the past, it was easier to make ..... treaties because of smaller populations and less bureaucracy in both countries. In 1944, the u.s. and Mexico signed a treaty granting water rights to Mexico, however, that treaty took a long time to implement. The water secured for these areas created great growth, as is evident by the populations in southern California and over the border. However with 35 million people dependent on the river, the impact these populations may have must be taken into account. We must try and address problems associated with the population and the river so that people can continue to live here. Given the numerous resources, both natural and intellectual, solutions to water issues at the border should be solved but not through short- sighted solutions. Instead, solutions should be long-term and win-win for stakeholders on both sides of the border. Mr. Hermosillo echoed the sentiment of other speakers by a.<!\COCating that good information c~ed with obiectivity is esspntialJQ amve at good conclusions. This is especially important given the number of parties involved on both sides of the border. Ecological situations c~ot be solved without includin or addressing regional development and the limitation of resources in both the U.S. and Mexico. Pre~ious agreements, such as the 1944 TreatY:Worked between the two countries and are good indica- tors of future potential for positive negotiations over the Delta. MIGUEL ANGEL GONZALEZ BARRIGA REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE GOVERNOR OF STATE OF BAJA, MEXICO: On behalf of the Governor of Baja, Mr. Gonzalez welcomed conference attendees. He stated that appropriate allocations of Colorado River water to provide adequate use and preser- vation of surroundings are a high priority for the Baja State government. Mr. Gonzalez agreed with several other speakers' assertions that as the world population COLORADO RIvER DELTA BI-NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS ENGLISH 19