Mexican President Vicente Fox has presented to Congress a proposal that would allow a greater participation of private capital in the oil and gas sector, a presidential spokesman said on Wednesday.

The proposal suggests private capital join the exploration and exploitation of natural gas and private firms participate in the maintenance of the pipelines of state-run petroleum firm PEMEX, Fox's spokesman Ruben Aguilar said at a news conference.

Frequent accidents plagued PEMEX whose infrastructure has become out-dated and deteriorating.

The president hoped the legislators could judge on the proposal free from political and party interests, although some legislators from the opposition have voiced rejection to the initiative, Aguilar said.

The president "is prepared to take any necessary steps" to persuade the legislators to accept the initiative, Aguilar noted.

Source: Xinhua