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US Defends Delays on Equipment Aid to Mexico
 The News
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May 05, 2010
 |  | It is inappropriate to ask where the resources are when the delays are a direct result of Mexico's request.
- David T. Johnson |  | | |
The U.S. government tried to justify the delays to deliver equipment to Mexico under the Merida Initiative, by saying that they were due to specific requests from the Latin-American country.
"The Mexican government wants something very specific and it takes more time to get it," said the Assistant State Secretary David T. Johnson, in charge of International Affairs and Drug Trafficking, at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Inter-AmericanCommission on Drug Use Control. Johnson referred to the Black Hawk helicopters in particular, and said that they were ready to be sent to Mexico in order to conduct security operations last January, in accordance with what had been agreed upon between the two countries.
"But (the Mexican government) then decided to make some important technical changes, which will take another six months to perform," Johnson added as he announced that the helicopters were now expected to be delivered from Alabama to Mexico at the end of the summer or the beginning of the fall.
The modifications requested by Mexico are meant to be used with security equipment in the long term, Johnson said. "But it is inappropriate to ask where (the resources) are when the delays are a direct result of Mexico's request," he added.
So far, US$351 million have been appropriated by the U.S. Congress to support the Merida Plan with equipment and training; however, the resources have not been delivered in their totality yet.
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