WASHINGTON -- Before Sept. 11, 2001, Mexico and the United States were on the threshold of a tremendous breakthrough.

President Vicente Fox and President Bush came to power with a shared commitment to deepen and widen the economic gains of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by defining a new bilateral partnership that would bring our two countries even closer, for the mutual benefit of the citizens of both nations.

At the core of this partnership would be a new approach for the movement of people across our 2,000-mile border. A transparent, rational framework would be jointly designed in order to mitigate the negative effects of undocumented migration -- black markets, criminal networks and dangerous human smuggling -- while enhancing the obvious, mutual economic benefits that arise from the economic and social synergy that our vicinity entails.

This new migration agreement would boost prosperity in North America by providing expanded legal and safe avenues for the flow of people across the border and by regularizing the status of Mexican workers already in the United States.

The massive movement of people across our border is a fact of life. Many Mexicans come to this country looking for economic opportunities that they cannot yet find at home, while many labor-short U.S. companies find the workers they need to grow in Mexico's law-abiding and hard-working migrants.

While it is in Mexico's interest to foster economic development at home so that our nationals need not come to the United States looking for a better life, the contribution of Mexican workers to the U.S. economy will continue to be needed because of demographic factors and our growing economic interdependence.

Sept. 11's aftermath understandably forced the United States to reprioritize its foreign policy agenda in order to focus on the overwhelming and immediate demands of fighting terrorism.

Mexico bestows to the fight against terrorism the highest priority and has closely collaborated with the United States in this shared struggle.

Convinced that international cooperation is essential, we are working hard together, for example, to crack down on financial networks that fund terrorists around the globe, and we have made important strides to strengthen border security. As a member of the U.N. Security Council, Mexico has also clearly shown its commitment to enhancing international security; it voted Nov. 8 with 14 other countries, including the United States, in favor of the resolution to disarm Iraq.

While Sept. 11 altered many things, it did not change the basic and shared interests of Mexico and the United States. Both countries need a safe, secure and efficient border. Both countries need the economic and social benefits of NAFTA to continue to grow. Both countries need to assure that the flow of people between them is orderly, legal and safe.

The challenge facing us is how to develop these shared interests in an era when security has become a paramount concern. There is no conflict between the goals of an intensified bilateral relationship and security. Mexico's original proposal to regularize and document Mexican citizens currently residing in the United States, as well as to establish a temporary worker agreement and new border safety arrangements, would be a great complement to U.S. security needs.

The presence yesterday and today in Mexico City of a very important delegation of six Cabinet members, led by Secretary of State Colin Powell, gives both administrations a timely opportunity to relaunch the Mexico-U.S. bilateral agenda by building upon mutual trust and the huge strides achieved before 9/11.

Our nations share much more than a 2,000-mile border. We share the opportunity to create new wealth for our citizens through unprecedented economic interaction. We share the responsibility to protect our citizens from harm. We share a Mexican and Mexican-American community that is a vibrant part of the U.S. economic, social, political and cultural landscape. Most importantly, we share a deep commitment to democracy and freedom.

The time has come to relaunch the dialogue that will allow us to give concrete meaning and content to our partnership.

Juan JosM-i Bremer is Mexico's ambassador to the United States.