Germany and Israel Offer Security Assistance to Mexico
(Mexico City, July 15) Private security experts from Israel presented a series of presentations and proposals yesterday to the Guerrero state government concerning innovative security technologies. Israel’s commercial attaché in Mexico, Liat Shaham, made the point that “there is no difference between acts of terrorism and the crimes committed by gangs involved in drug trafficking. They cause the same injuries to the population, and need to be addressed in the same way.” The commercial mission was received by Guerrero State’s Public Safety Director in the Government Palace in the capital. Several state legislators were also in attendance.
The technologies did not involve arms, explosives or munitions; rather, the successes of the Israeli private sector have been in predicting and protecting potential targets, organizing protective forces, creating command, communication and control centers, crisis management, protection of strategic infrastructures and electronic (computer) security and antifraud measures.
On the same day, in Mexico City, visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed his respect for the struggle undertaken by the Mexican government to combat organized crime and drug trafficking. He assured President Calderón that Germany would support Mexico in solving this problem. He said, “Mexico is struggling with the instruments of the Rule of Law, and we know that those instruments will win, and this we support that approach.” Support will arrive in the form of education and training of Mexican police officers, particularly in investigative techniques that find and preserve evidence that can be admitted in court. The German official added that the support offered by his country “is not only political, but also practical, and we are now talking about how to get even deeper into the matter.”
When asked why German private direct investment in Mexico had fallen, the foreign minister denied the premise, saying that it had increased. “Mexico is an important partner for Germany and the Group of 20,” he said, “because it is one of the strongest emerging economies, due to its accomplishments over the last 20 years.” He added that the relationship between Mexico and Germany is not just based on economics, but also on social and cultural matters of mutual interest.
