In 2000, the Advent of Vicente Fox Quesada to the presidency of Mexico promised to change the course of Mexican foreign policy. It would open the country to outside influences and engage the nation in a new activism on the international scene.

Mexico's new voice would be heard at the United Nations in support of international human rights and multilateralism. It would resonate at the Organization of American States to forge an area of democracy, durable peace and security in the western hemisphere. Mexico would seek to inject a new vision and a new sense of purpose in its relationship with the US, and work with the European Union to foster or enhance both common goals and Mexico's own development agenda.

Mexico's experiment is of particular interest for some of its innovative characteristics. In its attempt to break with its isolationist past, Mexico enlisted support from the international community to help the country through its transition to democracy, and to anchor it to the evolving security debate in the post-September 11th 2001 environment.

Beyond the Border and Across the Atlantic chronicles crucial choices and defining moments of Mexico's unique experiment in the international foreign and security arena, and describes President Fox's fascinating roller-coaster of successes and failures on the multilateral and bilateral scene.