MEXICO CITY, March 22 (Xinhua) -- As Mexico and the United States grow more economically integrated, the challenge and goal for Mexico will be to preserve its "relative autonomy" and protect its own interests, said Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard Wednesday.
"What would I say regarding the immediate future? Well, we have a paradox, because on the one hand we are going to have an increase in economic integration, but at the same time we have to maintain our relative autonomy," said Ebrard.
Building room for autonomy is necessary so that ties with the United States are "less asymmetric and more reciprocal," he said.
"That is the task of diplomacy, it will be more complex in these coming years," he added.
The evolution of Mexico-U.S. ties has been marred by "very right-wing" sectors in the United States that categorically oppose the deepening of ties between the two countries, or that "simply and plainly devise their entire electoral campaigns around attacking Mexico," said Ebrard.
Those sectors base their arguments on such issues as immigration, for which they blame Mexico. They should not be allowed to define the country's relationship with the United States, Ebrard said, adding Mexico will steadfastly defend its interests. ■