Iceland–Mexico relations

Iceland-Mexico relations

Iceland
Mexico

Icelandic-Mexican relations refer to bilateral relations between the Iceland and the Mexico. Iceland and Mexico established diplomatic relations on March 24, 1964.[1][2] Iceland has a non resident ambassador in Washington D.C., Mexico has a non resident ambassador in Copenhagen, Denmark.[2] Since then the Icelandic Embassy in Washington D.C. has also served as the Icelandic Embassy for Mexico, in addition to three consulates located within Mexico in Campeche, Guaymas and Mexico City.[3] The Mexican Embassy in Denmark serves as the Mexican Embassy to Iceland, with a consulate in Reykjavík[4]. In 2008 Felipe Calderón said: "Our two countries joined forces under the United Nations to codify the new Law of the Sea and, in particular, work closely to achieve the Exclusive Economic Zone."[5]

Contents

History

Iceland and Mexico established diplomatic relations on March 24, 1964.[1][6][7]

Iceland and Mexico collaborate over a number of shared interests; in 2001 they reached an agreement on agriculture, signed in Mexico City on November 27, 2000, and effective on October 1, 2001.[1][8] In 2005 they signed an agreement for the promotion and mutual protection of investments, which was signed in Mexico City on June 24, 2005, and has been in force since April 28, 2006.[1]

On October 24, 2007 Albert Jónsson, the Iceland ambassador to Mexico presented his diplomatic credentials at the National Palace in Mexico City. After the ceremony, Felipe Calderón and Jónsson discussed the current state of Icelandic-Mexico relations. Both want to strengthen bilateral trade and Calderón wanted to cooperate on energy and fishing rights.[9]

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the President of Iceland and Felipe Calderón, the President of Mexico met in March 2008. This was the first time a President of Iceland had made a state visit to Mexico.[10] Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland's Minister of Education, Science and Culture accompanied the president and Iceland's first lady on trip. Also attending were members of the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Presidential Office, as well as a trade delegation.[11]

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson addressed the people of Mexico on March 11, 2008, saying:

In this new century, mankind eagerly seeks and requires leadership born of the same qualities, searching for solutions to the most fundamental challenge of our times, the threat of climate change, which is so evident in the melting of the ice sheets and the glaciers and the rising sea levels all over the world. Due to the Gulf Stream, Mexico and Iceland are closely linked in this endeavour. Flowing from Mexico into the North–Atlantic, the Gulf Stream encircles my country and constitutes the core of the conveyor belt of ocean currents which in every continent regulates the climate. Cooperation between our countries is therefore both urgent and is endowed with symbolic value, reminding us how all nations now share a common fate, but also demonstrating to others new ways towards solutions. ...[10]

The two leaders discussed common ground, including concerns over climate change, since both nations are directly affected by the Gulf Stream.[12] Also in 2008 the two nations signed a tax treaty to avoid double taxation.[13][14] The agreement to abolish double taxation was signed by Agustín Carstens, the Mexican Minister of Finance; and the Minister of Education, Science and Culture of Iceland, Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir.[15]

They also signed a treaty on geothermal energy, and one abolishing visas for diplomats.[16][17]

Roberto del Toro and Mario Alberto Gutierrez of PriceWaterhouseCoopers explain the tax consequences of the double taxation treaty: "Holders of less than 10% of a company's shares would be subject to a 5% withholding tax on dividends, with 15% withholding on all other dividends; withholding on interest and royalties would be 10%. A protocol to the agreement states that the contracting countries make use of provisions of their local laws relating to thin capitalisation; furthermore, interest from back-to-back loans will not be benefit with the treaty provisions."[14]

During the meeting Mexico agreed to support the nomination of Iceland as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2009–2010 assembly. The Icelandic Government agreed to nominate Mexico for a position on the council.[17] They also agreed to begin negotiations on an agreement for air transportation between the two countries.[18] On the trip Olafur Ragnar Grimsson gave an interview to Organización Editorial Mexicana and said that "geothermal energy has a future in Mexico."[19]

As of April 2009, Iceland is one of only 37 countries with which Mexico has a tax treaty and one of only 22 where an agreement for a broad exchange of information has been signed.[13]

Trade

In 2008, Iceland was ranked 118th in total trade with Mexico and was ranked 4th among the countries of European Free Trade Association.[1] 2008 bilateral trade was 9.2 million dollars for Mexico.[1] Mexico's exports to Iceland were: metal tubes with threaded ends (46.0%), motor vehicles (18.7%), and lactic acid (2.0%). The major imports from Iceland to Mexico were: cod liver oil (4.6%), gutted fish (3.1%) and roe (2.8%).[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Relaciones México-Islandia" (in Spanish). Mexico. http://portal.sre.gob.mx/dinamarca/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=130&op=page&SubMenu=. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "México e Islandia mantienen relaciones diplomáticas desde el 24 de marzo de 1964. Actualmente México mantiene sus relaciones diplomáticas con Islandia desde su Embajada en Dinamarca. En tanto que Islandia lo hace desde su Embajada en Estados Unidos de América. ..." 
  2. ^ a b "Iceland and Mexico". Iceland. http://www.iceland.org/us/the-embassy/embassy-jurisdiction/Mexico/. Retrieved 2009-06-20. "Iceland and Mexico established diplomatic relations in 1960 [sic]. Since then the Icelandic Embassy in Washington D.C. has also served as the Icelandic Embassy for Mexico. The Mexican Embassy in Denmark serves as the Mexican Embassy to Iceland." 
  3. ^ "List of Icelandic Consulates in Mexico". http://brunnur.stjr.is/interpro/utanr/HBvefur.nsf/Pages/IslSendiradEng?OpenDocument&CountryNr=52&Lang=44. Retrieved 2010-05-17. 
  4. ^ "Mexican Embassy and Consulate for Iceland". http://mexico.visahq.com/embassy/Iceland/. Retrieved 2010-05-17. 
  5. ^ "Destaca Calderón disposición de Islandia para el comercio" (in Spanish). Organización Editorial Mexicana. March 12, 2008. http://www.oem.com.mx/diariodexalapa/notas/n626069.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "En primer lugar los dos países creen firmemente en la paz. En segundo término, México e Islandia "somos naciones respetuosas y defensoras del derecho internacional. Nuestros países unieron esfuerzos en el marco de la ONU para codificar el nuevo Derecho del Mar y, en particular, trabajamos estrechamente hasta lograr establecer la zona económica exclusiva, resaltó el presidente Calderón." 
  6. ^ "Mexico, Iceland to Set Up Diplomatic Ties". Chicago Tribune. March 25, 1964. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/580091082.html?dids=580091082:580091082&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+25,+1964&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Mexico,+Iceland+to+Set+Up+Diplomatic+Ties&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-13. 
  7. ^ "Mexico-Iceland Pact". Associated Press in the Christian Science Monitor. March 25, 1964. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/218801352.html?dids=218801352:218801352&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Mar+25,+1964&author=&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=Mexico-Iceland+Pact&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "Mexico City. Mexico and Iceland have agreed to set up diplomatic relations aiming to increase cultural and trade exchanges." 
  8. ^ "Mexico-Iceland". Law Library of Congress. http://www.glin.gov/view.action?glinID=81872. Retrieved 2010-05-16. "Decree of 20 September 2001 promulgates the Agreement on Agriculture between the governments of Mexico and Iceland, signed in Mexico City on 27 November 2000." 
  9. ^ "Presentation of Credentials". Embassy of Iceland. http://www.iceland.org/us/the-embassy/news-and-events/nr/4683. Retrieved 2010-05-18. 
  10. ^ a b "President of Iceland speech on visit to Mexico". March 11, 2008. http://english.forseti.is/media/files/08_03_11_Mex_welcome.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 
  11. ^ "President of Iceland to Visit Mexico". Iceland Review. March 12, 2008. http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=40764&ew_0_a_id=302240. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "." 
  12. ^ "Llama Olafur Ragnar a combatir el cambio climático" (in Spanish). El Sol De Mexico. March 12, 2008. http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/notas/n624987.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "Y México e Islandia se relacionan de manera estrecha en esta meta, gracias a la Corriente del Golfo que, procedente de México llega al Atlántico norte "y rodea mi país y sus corrientes oceánicas, definen su clima"." 
  13. ^ a b "Mexico: Tax treaty network increasing". PriceWaterhouseCoopers. http://www.internationaltaxreview.com/?Page=10&PUBID=35&ISS=25352&SID=718881&TYPE=20. Retrieved May 01, 2009. 
  14. ^ a b "Mexico: Iceland added to Mexico's treaty list". PriceWaterhouseCoopers. http://www.internationaltaxreview.com/?Page=10&PUBID=35&ISS=25321&SID=717805&TYPE=20. Retrieved May 01, 2009. "The provisions of the Iceland-Mexico income tax treaty, which was signed in Mexico City on March 11, 2008 ..." 
  15. ^ "Signing Ceremony". President of Iceland. http://english.forseti.is/Pictures/Mexico20081/. Retrieved 2010-05-16. 
  16. ^ "El Presidente Calderón y el Presidente de la República de Islandia, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, en la Ceremonia de la Firma de Acuerdos entre los Gobiernos de México e Islandia" (in Spanish). Mexico. March 11, 2008. http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/prensa/?contenido=34288. Retrieved 2010-05-13. 
  17. ^ a b "México e Islandia acceden quitar visa diplomática y apoyar energía geotérmica" (in Spanish). Cotizalia. March 12, 2008. http://www.cotizalia.com/cache/2008/03/12/42_mexico_islandia_acceden_quitar_diplomatica_apoyar.html. Retrieved 2010-05-13. 
  18. ^ "Presidente de Islandia realiza visita oficial a México para firma de acuerdo" (in Spanish). El Economista. March 12, 2008. http://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/politica/noticias/414681/03/08/Presidente-de-Islandia-realiza-visita-oficial-a-Mexico-para-firma-de-acuerdo.html. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "Ragnar y Calderón firmaron acuerdos en materia de doble tributación, desarrollo de energía geotérmica y supresión de visas para diplomáticos, además de que anunciaron que para el segundo semestre de 2008 iniciarán negociaciones sobre un acuerdo en el renglón del transporte aéreo." 
  19. ^ "Debe México aprovechar energías renovables" (in Spanish). Organización Editorial Mexicana in El Heraldo de Tabasco. March 12, 2008. http://www.oem.com.mx/elheraldodetabasco/notas/n626128.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-13. "Al respecto, cabe recordar que el presidente de Islandia, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, en una entrevista que concedió a este diario, afirmó que la energía geotérmica tiene verdadero futuro en México." 

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