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Bush, Fox, Harper summit under discussion
Tue Feb 21, 2006 4:05 PM ET



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Talks are under way to arrange a summit in Mexico between President George W. Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and new Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. and Canadian officials said on Tuesday.

The officials said the summit could be held in late March or early April in the Mexican resort town of Cancun.

The summit would take place about a year after a similar three-way meeting in Waco, Texas, between Bush, Fox and Harper's predecessor, Paul Martin.

Many of the same issues remain on the table: Mexico's desire for immigration reform in the United States, trade disputes between the United States and Canada, and concerns among all three governments about the rising economic clout of China and India.

Bush has yet to meet Canada's new Conservative leader, who used as one of his campaign themes a pledge to mend U.S.-Canadian relations.

Bush spoke by phone on Monday with Fox in a conversation the White House said dealt with immigration and border violence.

Attacks on American border guards jumped more than 100 percent last year to 778 as U.S. agents confronted often heavily armed Mexican smugglers running drugs and illegal immigrants into the country.

Bush's talk with Fox came after the U.S. envoy to Mexico last month accused the country's government of failing to control crime. Border violence has increased since Fox declared war on drug cartels a year ago.