Posted on 11/11/2003 4:19:16 PM PST by Brian S
Possibility of migration accord with Mexico revisted BY ALFREDO CORCHADO The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The United States is prepared to take small steps toward achieving a migration accord with Mexico, President Bush's point man on the Americas said as the two nations prepared for Cabinet-level talks.
In an interview, Roger Noriega, the assistant secretary of state for Western hemispheric affairs, said a piece-by-piece approach represents the best strategy for achieving a migration pact that's vital to both the United States' security and its economy.
"I think (both countries) see it as an economic and security issue," said Noriega, who took over the job earlier this year.
"Making the border safe for honest commerce and crossings by people is very important and vital to our broader economy and certainly to our border economy," he said.
Noriega cautioned: "I think (small steps) will allow us to continue to consult with and gauge the interest from our Congress. But decisions on this have to come from the very top and at this point we're not in position to go forward on the bigger agenda, the broader, more comprehensive approach."
In a 40-minute interview, Noriega addressed a wide range of issues relating to Latin America. His comments came as the United States and Mexico prepared for their annual binational Cabinet meeting, to be held Wednesday.
Last year, the State Department provided $25 million for a 22-point plan aimed at upgrading security along the U.S.-Mexico border. The U.S. government anticipates spending a similar amount next year, said a State Department spokesman, who declined to say specifically how the money was being spent, citing security reasons.
The relationship between the two governments has been dominated by the sticky issue of migration, which is also considered the foreign policy cornerstone of Mexican President Vicente Fox.
Last week, Fox concluded a three-state swing through the Southwest, in which he repeatedly told audiences that the neighboring countries were back to the negotiating table.
Asked whether the two governments are indeed back to the table, Noriega said: "I think we're in very, very good shape. Specifically on migration, I think both sides share President Bush's view that migration should be safe, legal and orderly, and recognize on both sides of the border the urgency of applying that vision."
Noriega stopped short of predicting how hard the Bush administration will push for an agreement with Congress on three separate bills addressing specific aspects of migration.
One of those bills, a bipartisan initiative by Senators Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., Bob Graham, D-Fla., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, proposes gradual amnesty for as many as 500,000 undocumented farm laborers.
"I don't want to raise false expectations," Noriega said, echoing previous comments from senior administration officials who have downplayed any significant movement in the months to come.
In a recent interview with CNN's Spanish-language network, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that immigration initiatives have "not left the presidential agenda," but added, "I don't want to over-promise. … I believe there are some things we can do in immigration that don't require legislation during an election year."
The annual meeting this week will include discussions on issues ranging from immigration and trade to trucking and water. According to sources close to the talks, the two sides are expected to announce the creation of a special satellite hot line to allow instant communication between the governments, especially if faced with a terrorist threat.
And while issues like drug trafficking appear to have taken a back seat for now, another law enforcement matter is expected to surface: the murders of poor, young and vulnerable women in the northern state of Chihuahua.
A letter signed by 66 U.S. Congress members and delivered to Powell on Friday raised the issue of more than 100 women slain in Chihuahua state and urged the Bush administration to press Mexico to do more to solve the crimes.
The issue of the slain women dogged Fox during last week's trip through the Southwest. In Santa Fe, N.M., the Mexican president interrupted his speech to countrymen to address women who showed up at what was supposed to be a rally for immigrants.
Noriega acknowledged that the murders represent a "dramatic set of cases" and said the issue will "definitely be on the agenda for both sides." He said the United States, which is currently providing investigative training to Mexican state police, is "prepared to get more involved at any point" if called on by state or federal authorities.
Meanwhile, Noriega, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States, downplayed the emergence of left-leaning governments across Latin America, from Bolivia to Brazil.
"They are pursuing the same sorts of economic policies, market-oriented, fiscally responsible policies that we think are the most productive and promising ways to build an economy," Noriega said.
"On the political side these people who are running and winning elections are genuine democrats, committed democrats. So frankly we're not in a position to judge what's good for other countries."
In recent years, the region has been hit hard by an economic downturn and a resulting shift toward U.S.-style market policies, which, some critics say, have exacerbated the gap between the rich and poor and sent masses of desperate people across borders and into the United States illegally.
Noriega also praised Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who enjoys at least a 70 percent approval rating, but whose country is undergoing tough economic times caused in part by the raging war against drug traffickers and armed groups. The war is being fought with the help of $2.5 billion in U.S. aid.
"Uribe is a strong leader. He knows what he has to do to put Colombia's economy in order," Noriega said. "In the end, he reflects a strong shared will by the Colombian people to do those things. I have no doubt that he will make every effort to put the Colombian economy in order."
On Cuba, Noriega reiterated President Bush's threat to impose a presidential veto on any effort by the U.S. Congress to ease the U.S. embargo on the island. Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to lift the travel ban on Americans, following earlier votes in the House and Senate to do so.
"The president doesn't want to do anything that would possibly buy Fidel Castro a few more terrible days in office. Throwing him a $1 billion windfall of tourism travel that has the tendency of benefiting the state security apparatus, which is Castro's highest priority, is something the president is absolutely opposed to," Noriega said.
He added that the Bush administration "wants to find some common ground with our Congress to help the Cuban people and hasten the day when we can all work to build Cuba's future, once Castro is out of the picture."
---
© 2003, The Dallas Morning News.
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
The majority of America is against any kind of amnesty, whether they call it a "migration accord" or "guest worker program".
In California you can't drive a block without seeing gangs of illegals hanging around, and you know damn well that you're paying their bills. All this "diversity" that is being forced down America's throat is causing resentment and disgust.
Obviously our President isn't concerned about what Americans want, or about their jobs, or their ability to pay their own bills, let alone being forced to pay the bills for illegal aliens. He has a big surprise coming - he's losing millions of conservative voters who put him in the White House. It will have to be the illegal aliens who elect him in '04.
As horrific as these crimes are, what does this situation have to do with US politicians? Did Mexican politicians petition the US to solve the Green River killings before Ridgway was caught?
They have special uniforms?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.