THE WORLD
Mexico, U.S. Agree to Be Patient in Talks
Key issues of migration and water debt defy rapid solutions, Powell says, but both nations declare a commitment to moving forward.
By Richard Boudreaux
Times Staff Writer
source: http://www.latimes.com/templates/mi...27nov27001445§ion=/news/nationworld/world
November 27 2002
MEXICO CITY -- In a videotaped speech played at Mexico's presidential residence Tuesday, President Bush repeated words that, when first uttered nearly 15 months ago, sent hopes soaring on both sides of the border. "The United States," he said, "has no more important relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico."
This time, the president's declaration sounded more like ritual than promise. It echoed in a meeting hall as Cabinet officials of both countries gathered to discuss, and disagree on, the most pressing cross-border issue facing each of them.
At the two-day meeting, the Bush administration failed to satisfy Mexican President Vicente Fox's appeal -- in a speech just before Bush's message from Washington -- for immediate high-level talks to assure "safe, orderly and legal" migration of Mexicans to the United States.
And Mexico declined, despite strong urging by U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, to set a timetable for repayment of its nearly half-trillion-gallon water debt to the United States, a step that might have reassured drought-stricken south Texas farmers that there will be enough irrigation for next year's spring planting.
Instead, both sides made it clear that the two issues, migration and water, defy rapid solutions and are likely to remain problematic for years.
"This is not something we have to finish before or after anyone's administration," Powell told reporters, referring to talks on migration. "If we could both snap our fingers and make all the problems go away, we would do so this moment. It is not that easy. But we are committed to moving forward."
Fox proposed last year that Washington expand permanent visas and guest-worker programs for Mexicans and give legal status to about 3.5 million undocumented Mexican migrants who live and work in the United States.
The two countries and their like-minded leaders, who got along famously from the start, were headed for serious negotiation on the proposal last year. But the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks shifted Bush's focus from open borders to the need for stringent security at home.
This week's annual meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission was the first Cabinet-level review of the relationship since the attacks. Heading the U.S. delegation here, Powell suggested that the Republicans' election sweep to control Congress might make legislative support for migration reform even more difficult.
Mexican officials have read the U.S. election results differently, believing that Bush is now freer to act.
Fox, sounding impatient, said the two countries have a "window of opportunity" to advance on migration issues. He insisted that Mexicans pose no threat to their northern neighbor and that the United States should "clearly distinguish" between them and terrorists.
About 1.5 million Mexicans are arrested each year trying to cross the 2,000-mile U.S. border illegally. Fox warned that the migrant flow would increase unless the two countries take steps to ease the pain of Mexican farmers after the last protective tariffs on most agricultural products end Jan. 1 under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Bush agreed that U.S. policies "must treat Mexican men, women and children with respect and dignity" but offered no sign that migration reform is a high priority.
Powell suggested, however, that the two countries begin work on a partial migration deal that would start with less controversial issues, such as temporary work visas and an expanded guest-worker program, but not involve legalization of undocumented migrants.
"We want to come up with an agenda that we can pursue over the next six months to a year, and look first at those items that have highest probability of success and then work our way into those that are more difficult to resolve," he said.
Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda, who led his country's delegation, accepted that approach, saying Mexico wants "concrete, specific, punctual agreements on very concrete topics that we can move on now."
Neither Bush nor Fox mentioned the water feud. But Powell pressed Castaneda for a repayment schedule, saying the Bush administration is "committed to addressing the serious plight of south Texas farmers." Mexican officials said they are constrained by domestic politics in their own drought-stricken border states but promised that talks would continue.
A 1944 treaty obliges Mexico to send the United States one-third of the flow of its Rio Grande tributaries. Its most recent payment was last summer.
Despite the disagreements, the tone of the meeting and the two presidents' speeches was positive. Bush and Powell spoke warmly of Mexico's cooperation on this month's U.N. Security Council resolution to send weapons inspectors to Iraq.
On Tuesday, the United States pledged $25 million for training and high-tech equipment to help Mexico patrol its border and screen U.S.-bound cargo. The United States will also help Mexico improve air quality in the border region.
The two countries agreed on educational standards that would make it easier for migrant children to switch between schools in the United States and Mexico without losing course credits.
More than 200 U.S. officials attended the talks, including Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft and U.S. drug czar John Walters. A delegation of American entrepreneurs came with them, part of the administration's effort to stimulate private U.S. investment in needy areas of Mexico.
To that end, the two countries announced a treaty modification to lighten the tax burden on cross-border investors.
*
Times staff writer Paul Richter contributed to this report.
Mexico, U.S. Agree to Be Patient in Talks
Key issues of migration and water debt defy rapid solutions, Powell says, but both nations declare a commitment to moving forward.
By Richard Boudreaux
Times Staff Writer
source: http://www.latimes.com/templates/mi...27nov27001445§ion=/news/nationworld/world
November 27 2002
MEXICO CITY -- In a videotaped speech played at Mexico's presidential residence Tuesday, President Bush repeated words that, when first uttered nearly 15 months ago, sent hopes soaring on both sides of the border. "The United States," he said, "has no more important relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico."
This time, the president's declaration sounded more like ritual than promise. It echoed in a meeting hall as Cabinet officials of both countries gathered to discuss, and disagree on, the most pressing cross-border issue facing each of them.
At the two-day meeting, the Bush administration failed to satisfy Mexican President Vicente Fox's appeal -- in a speech just before Bush's message from Washington -- for immediate high-level talks to assure "safe, orderly and legal" migration of Mexicans to the United States.
And Mexico declined, despite strong urging by U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, to set a timetable for repayment of its nearly half-trillion-gallon water debt to the United States, a step that might have reassured drought-stricken south Texas farmers that there will be enough irrigation for next year's spring planting.
Instead, both sides made it clear that the two issues, migration and water, defy rapid solutions and are likely to remain problematic for years.
"This is not something we have to finish before or after anyone's administration," Powell told reporters, referring to talks on migration. "If we could both snap our fingers and make all the problems go away, we would do so this moment. It is not that easy. But we are committed to moving forward."
Fox proposed last year that Washington expand permanent visas and guest-worker programs for Mexicans and give legal status to about 3.5 million undocumented Mexican migrants who live and work in the United States.
The two countries and their like-minded leaders, who got along famously from the start, were headed for serious negotiation on the proposal last year. But the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks shifted Bush's focus from open borders to the need for stringent security at home.
This week's annual meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission was the first Cabinet-level review of the relationship since the attacks. Heading the U.S. delegation here, Powell suggested that the Republicans' election sweep to control Congress might make legislative support for migration reform even more difficult.
Mexican officials have read the U.S. election results differently, believing that Bush is now freer to act.
Fox, sounding impatient, said the two countries have a "window of opportunity" to advance on migration issues. He insisted that Mexicans pose no threat to their northern neighbor and that the United States should "clearly distinguish" between them and terrorists.
About 1.5 million Mexicans are arrested each year trying to cross the 2,000-mile U.S. border illegally. Fox warned that the migrant flow would increase unless the two countries take steps to ease the pain of Mexican farmers after the last protective tariffs on most agricultural products end Jan. 1 under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Bush agreed that U.S. policies "must treat Mexican men, women and children with respect and dignity" but offered no sign that migration reform is a high priority.
Powell suggested, however, that the two countries begin work on a partial migration deal that would start with less controversial issues, such as temporary work visas and an expanded guest-worker program, but not involve legalization of undocumented migrants.
"We want to come up with an agenda that we can pursue over the next six months to a year, and look first at those items that have highest probability of success and then work our way into those that are more difficult to resolve," he said.
Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda, who led his country's delegation, accepted that approach, saying Mexico wants "concrete, specific, punctual agreements on very concrete topics that we can move on now."
Neither Bush nor Fox mentioned the water feud. But Powell pressed Castaneda for a repayment schedule, saying the Bush administration is "committed to addressing the serious plight of south Texas farmers." Mexican officials said they are constrained by domestic politics in their own drought-stricken border states but promised that talks would continue.
A 1944 treaty obliges Mexico to send the United States one-third of the flow of its Rio Grande tributaries. Its most recent payment was last summer.
Despite the disagreements, the tone of the meeting and the two presidents' speeches was positive. Bush and Powell spoke warmly of Mexico's cooperation on this month's U.N. Security Council resolution to send weapons inspectors to Iraq.
On Tuesday, the United States pledged $25 million for training and high-tech equipment to help Mexico patrol its border and screen U.S.-bound cargo. The United States will also help Mexico improve air quality in the border region.
The two countries agreed on educational standards that would make it easier for migrant children to switch between schools in the United States and Mexico without losing course credits.
More than 200 U.S. officials attended the talks, including Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft and U.S. drug czar John Walters. A delegation of American entrepreneurs came with them, part of the administration's effort to stimulate private U.S. investment in needy areas of Mexico.
To that end, the two countries announced a treaty modification to lighten the tax burden on cross-border investors.
*
Times staff writer Paul Richter contributed to this report.