Former Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, Author of Controversial Book on U.S./Mexico Relations, To Keynote

All conference attendees to receive free copy of Davidow's "The Bear and the Porcupine"

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. October 14, 2008

SAN DIEGO, CA, November 2, 2005 . Jeffrey Davidow, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, will discuss the state of Mexico-U.S. relations during his keynote address at the upcoming conference "Resort Development in Mexico: Opportunities for Foreign Investment and Development", which will be held in San Diego this December 5-7 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort.

Davidow, acknowledged on both sides of the border for his candor and criticisms of both the Mexican and U.S. governments, is expected to offer his thoughts on the upcoming Mexican presidential elections and how possible outcomes may impact the landscape for foreign investment in Mexico.

The conference is being presented by Baker & McKenzie, the world's largest international law firm, and Contact Development Corporation, a leader in resort real estate investment in Mexico and Latin America. In addition to Davidow, the speaker roster for the conference includes some thirty experts in real estate, foreign investment, insurance, law and resort management who will familiarize attendees on the inner workings of managing real estate development deals in Mexico.

As author of the controversial 2003 book, "The Bear and the Porcupine", Davidow raised eyebrows with his assessments of the personalities, policies and politics

that he encountered during his four years as Ambassador under the Clinton and current Bush administrations. The book's title is a parable with the United States cast as an insensitive and aggressive bear with Mexico portrayed as a hypersensitive and defensive porcupine.

Reforma, the largest daily newspaper in Mexico, offered the following review, "Davidow's analysis seeks to inform, educate and contribute to dissolving the obstacles to understanding on both sides of the border. The book serves as a departure point for the debate and to generate ideas about the future relationship."

All attendees to the conference will receive their own copy of Davidow's book.

Davidow served as Ambassador to Mexico from 1998-2002. His term saw changes in administration on both sides of the border, perhaps most importantly the election of the current Vincente Fox administration, which put an end to decades of domination by Mexico's PRI party. Davidow now serves as President of the Institute of the Americas, based in La Jolla, California.