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<br />o <br />C) <br />~.. <br />--J <br />c.o <br />~ <br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />Negotiations in 1970-72 <br /> <br />Prior to the first expiration date of Minute 218, November 1970, <br />the United States and Mexico commenced negotiations with the purpose <br />of arriving at another five-year agreement. Mexico had objections <br />to operations under Minute 218, and they wanted changes in any new <br />long term agreement. The United States made a proposal in order <br />to meet Mexico's objections. The Diaz Ordaz Administration con- <br />sidered the proposal to be constructive, however, they did not want <br />to enter into a new long-term agreement, since a new President <br />would take office on December 1, 1970. This led to the first one- <br />year extension of Minute 218. <br /> <br />Negotiation commenced in 1971 with the Echeverria Administration. <br /> <br /> <br />The United States, supported by the Committee of Fourteen, proposed <br /> <br /> <br />a new minute in which additional quantities of water would be sub- <br /> <br /> <br />stituted for Wellton-Mohawk drainage water. The quantities proposed <br /> <br /> <br />to be substituted each year were estimated on the basis of what has <br /> <br /> <br />been termed the "equivalent salt balance" approach. <br /> <br />In arriving at the equivalent salt balance concept, United <br /> <br /> <br />States reasoned that (1) water users in the United States have a <br /> <br /> <br />right to irrigate lands below Imperial Dam, (2) Mexico has to receive <br /> <br /> <br />drainage water under the Treaty, (3) creating a situation of ideal <br /> <br /> <br />return flow conditions below Imperial Dam with respect to salinity <br /> <br /> <br />would be the best Mexico could expect, (4) the total deliveries <br /> <br /> <br />should be water of a quality that would be usable for irrigation of <br /> <br />the type of crops grown by Mexico, considering its soil conditions. <br />