VICENTE FOX TAKES HIS FIRST TOUR OF CHIAPAS STATE

Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit

VICENTE FOX TAKES HIS FIRST TOUR OF CHIAPAS STATE

MEXICO, Jan 17 (PL) Mexican President Vicente Fox will announce today in the
state of Chiapas the beginning of a national bilingual education program
that will allow one million natives to study.

In his first tour of the territory since taking power on December 1, Fox
will visit the cities of San Cristobal and Tapachula, but will not hold
meetings related to solving the armed conflict with the Zapatista
guerrillas.

The tour, according to presidency spokeswoman Martha Sahagun, will be
dedicated to initiating extremely concrete programs that allow the
development of Chiapas' inhabitants, and are part of the actions proposed by
the government in its first 100 days.

Sahagun said that bilingual education will be for initial, pre-school,
primary and intermediate levels.

With 69 native languages, and following the principles of identity and
respect for the customs and traditions of each ethnic group, the program
will be supported by a common trusteeship for health and education, for
Mexican natives' groups, she explained.

Accompanied by Cabinet members, Fox will help initiate the beginnings of the
projects -- not just in education, but in health, communication,
agriculture, ports, handicrafts, financial aid, plus economic development in
favor of women, poor people and ethnic groups.

He will also meet native women, "whose hands support families, culture and
identity, in order to give microcredits for small artisan businesses within
the "Hands that Work" program."

Chiapas has been the scene of armed conflict since January 1, 1994, when the
insurgent Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) picked up arms in
defense of native peoples.

Although Fox's visit to the state of Chiapas -- one of the nations' poorest
-- does not aim to analyze this matter, the tour's announcement has caused
strong expectations due to the President's repeated confirmations of his
search for peace.

Since taking power, Fox has ordered the suspension of inspection flights of
native communities, the withdrawal of 53 military reserves, the army's
withdrawal from three positions, and the release
 of over 20 Zapatistas prisoners.

On December 2, the rebels asked the executive for three signs for a return
to negotiations: the definite withdrawal of the army from seven military
positions; the freeing of all Zapatista prisoners in Mexico; and the
fulfilling of the Acuerdos de San Andres, signed with the previous
government.

The Zapatistas insist that the government still has to give more signs to
reestablish dialogue, while the President thinks that the insurgents should
lay down their weapons in the light of Zapatista Commander Marcos's visit to
the capital on March, 6.

The Government will not stop insisting and doing its best to reestablish
dialogue and solve the conflict. We are waiting for the other party to
demonstrate its intentions of advancing towards peace, said the presidency
spokeswoman. LPL/LPB

(c) 2001 Prensa Latina, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.

 
=================================================================
  NY Transfer News Collective   *   A Service of Blythe Systems 
           Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us          
              339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012             
  http://www.blythe.org                  e-mail: nyt@blythe.org 
=================================================================
 
nytcamer-01.21.01-05:34:43-6800