Thread: Bush Vows To Push Reform

Bush vows to push reform

President Felipe Calderón won a pledge from U.S. President George W. Bush to push for a U.S. immigration bill after a meeting Calderón said may signal a new stage in the two countries´ relations

Wire services
El Universal
Jueves 15 de marzo de 2007

MÉRIDA, Yuc. - President Felipe Calderón won a pledge from U.S. President George W. Bush to push for a U.S. immigration bill after a meeting Calderón said may signal a new stage in the two countries´ relations.

Calderón said the two presidents discussed how to pass a bill that recognizes the rights of migrants already in the United States and sets up a program for guest workers.

The presidents also talked about beefing up a working group to mitigate the effect on Mexican small farmers of opening Mexico´s corn and bean industry to free trade in 2008, Calderón said.

Wednesday´s news conference marked the end of Bush´s six-day tour of Latin America that included stops in Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Guatemala.

Even as the leaders´ came up with no binding agreements or accords, Calderón hailed the encounter as a sign U.S.-Mexican relations had reached a new level.

"In this meeting, the political will to achieve shared goals was demonstrated," said Calderón, who took office on Dec. 1. "I´m convinced that after this meeting we can begin a new stage in the relations between Mexico and the United States"

In talks over two days, Calderón and Bush spoke with "frankness" and "sincerity" about issues such as human rights, free trade, security, sustainable development and poverty, Calderón said.

He also emphasized that energy and the state-run oil company Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, weren´t taken up during Bush´s visit. The sovereignty of Mexico´s oil industry is a particularly sensitive issue and opposition politicians took care to warn Calderón about discussing it with Bush.

The two presidents also discussed creating more international bridges and border crossings to ease the flow of goods and people between the United States and Mexico.

The two leaders met Tuesday at haciendas outside of Mérida and toured the nearby Maya ruins of Uxmal.

At a social dinner Tuesday night, Bush and Calderón ate with officials and business leaders including two of Mexico´s richest people, Carlos Slim, who controls companies such as Teléfonos de México SA and Lorenzo Zambrano, chairman of Cemex SA.

Bush, who during the tour sought to counter criticism that the United States has ignored Latin America since the Sept. 11 attacks, acknowledged on Tuesday that Calderón had made blunt remarks about his failure to deliver on promises to pass an immigration- reform bill.

"I appreciate your candor," Bush said before toasting Calderón at the dinner. "I appreciate you being straight forward."

Few protesters greeted Bush during his trip to Mexico compared with more violent demonstrations in Colombia and about 10,000 people who marched in Brazil´s largest city, Sao Paulo, on March 9.

Police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in front of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City on Tuesday and authorities in Mérida arrested as many as 20 students who vandalized downtown buildings, EL UNIVERSAL reported.

Bush on Wednesday reiterated promises he made Tuesday to prod Congress to pass an immigration bill.

"I will work with Congress, members of both political parties, to pass immigration law that will enable us to respect the rule of law and at the same time respect humanity in a way that upholds the values of the United States of America," Bush said.


http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/miami/23789.html

Pledge By Bush




was that smile abuse ?