WAR OF PERCEPTION

BUSH SHOWS THE WORLD HOW TO "KISS A MEXICAN'S ASS"

By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press, Mar 31

President Bush, closing a three-nation summit Friday, defended requiring secure documents from border-crossing Canadians and pushed Mexico to prevent more of its people from illegally entering America

Despite obvious divisions, Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper emphasized North American unity and the productivity of their two days of meetings in this sunny spring-break area along Mexico's Mayan Riviera.

From a luxury hotel's indoor tennis court, gussied up with carpet, custom podiums and large video screens, the men emerged from joint sessions to laud the increased trade brought about by the 12-year-old tariff-reducing North American Free Trade Agreement.

The leaders said they intend to build on that progress — Canada and Mexico are the U.S.'s largest trading partners — to make their continent more competitive globally. And they pledged cooperation on new energy sources and bird-flu preparations.

"This is probably one of the most productive meetings we've had," Bush gushed to Fox, the meeting host and a friend dating to before both assumed their nations' presidencies. Fox said, "We have made a very good use of time." And Harper announced a third annual trilateral meeting for next year in Canada — again framed around the Security and Prosperity Partnership the three nations formed a year ago.

But, with disagreements still lingering — over everything from a Mexican murder investigation that has ensnared two Canadian mothers to a U.S.-Canada trade conflict over lumber and Mexico's long-unrealized hope for a migration accord with the United States — there was little concrete to show for the leaders' enthusiasm.

The long-standing dispute over U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber that is a major irritant in Ottawa didn't even come up Friday, perhaps a sign of how stalemated the issue is. The day before, Bush had promised only to "negotiate in good faith and a timely fashion" while Harper threatened legal action if agreement is not forthcoming.

The requirement that all people coming into the United States after 2007 — whether from Canada or Mexico — present a passport or some other tamper-proof document is another subject of great concern that Harper raised. Bush said he understands the fears, but didn't back down.

"Congress passed a law and I intend to enforce the law," the president said. "I believe this can be done in such a way that it makes future travel, future relations stronger, not weaker."

From Cancun, Bush flew to Texas for a weekend at his ranch.

Bush and Fox have reunited on the immigration issue after years of strained relations over Mexico's opposition to the Iraq invasion and because of the back-burner status of a migration accord.

But the alliance is tempered by Mexico's disappointment that broader legalization for Mexicans in the United States is not in the immediate offing, by repeated U.S. demands that Mexico crack down on its own border, and by a sometimes-angry debate now raging in Washington that leaves it anything but certain whether immigration overhaul will happen.

With congressional elections set for the fall, Bush's Republican Party is split over the issue. The Senate is debating a bill that would legalize many illegal immigrants in the United States and expand "guest-worker" programs for an estimated 400,000 immigrants each year, in addition to enhancing border security. With many conservatives opposed to guest worker programs, the House has passed rival legislation that focuses only on getting tough on illegal immigration.

Siding with business leaders looking for a steady supply of workers, Bush reiterated his demand that the GOP-controlled Congress approve a guest-worker program that would allow illegal immigrants to work legally, though temporarily, in the United States.

"I said I want a comprehensive bill," he said. "I believe there will be a comprehensive bill."

Bush gently chided those who have been talking about the issue — and his position on it — in unusually heated terms. Believing a guest-worker program would spur illegal immigration, hurt national security, abandon American middle-class workers and provoke a backlash from voters, House conservatives lobbed harsh criticism at the president in a Thursday news conference.

"I expect the debate to bring dignity to America, in recognition that America is a land of immigrants and people ought to be treated with respect," Bush shot back.

In a nod to his party's priorities, though, Bush also emphasized the need for Mexico to enforce its side of the border, and praised Fox for recent seriousness on the subject. "It's very important to enforce laws," he said.

Fox said he's committed to border security, but he also said the sticky issue between Mexico and its northern neighbor can only be solved "under the framework of a legislation that will guarantee legal, orderly, safe and respectful migration."

THE THREE AMIGOS

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

President Bush and the leaders of Canada and Mexico worked to iron out disagreements over trade and border security Thursday and to keep a North American economic edge against competition from rising powers like China.

The three leaders, dressed casually in open-collared shirts, strolled together among the ancient Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza before sitting down for more intense one-on-one meetings at a beachfront resort hotel. Mexican President Vicente Fox planned a lavish dinner for his guests.

The trilateral meeting was expected to be Fox's last since he is set to leave office this year because of term limits. Bush lauded Fox for stabilizing the Mexican economy and improving the net worth of his people.

"That's important for the American economy as well," Bush said. "The more net worth there is in Mexico, the more likely it is the Mexican may be wanting to buy a U.S. product. And vice versa, by the way."

Bush and Fox suggested one item at the top of their agenda is now out of their hands. The U.S. Senate is debating changes to U.S. immigration laws that could affect an estimated 6 million Mexicans living illegally in the United States.

"I told the president there is a legislative process that's going forward," Bush told reporters at the end of their private meeting. "And it may look cumbersome to some, but that's how our democracy works."

Bush added, "I'm optimistic that we can get a bill done."

He is pushing for a guest worker program that would let foreigners stay temporarily in low-paying jobs, which Fox says is a good first step toward some form of legal status for all illegal Mexicans.

"The matter is in the Congress of the United States and that is where the decision will be made," Fox said. "It is no longer between President Bush and President Fox."

After spending the morning sightseeing, Bush had a few hours off before the formal meetings began and he used part of the time to work up a sweat in his hotel's gym.

There was tight security alongside the fun-loving atmosphere generated by college students who have flocked to Cancun for spring break. Gunboats patrolled the turquoise waters off Bush's spa resort, and fencing kept out all but hotel guests. "I'd like to make sure you work more than you play," Bush joked to reporters.

The immigration debate is receiving a lot of attention at the summit, where the official focus is a year-old pact designed to make borders more secure without hampering business and traffic. Signed a year ago near Bush's ranch in Texas, the Security and Prosperity Partnership aims to better protect the three countries from outside attack and ensure their global competitiveness with China and other trade powerhouses.

Bush told Canadian Television earlier this week that he worries people in all three countries could have a "protectionist tendency" that would make it more difficult for them to reap the benefits of mutual collaboration. "Frankly, it will make it a lot harder for future Americans and Canadians and Mexicans to compete with the Chinese, for example," he said.

Even though China has a rapidly growing economy, Canada and Mexico remain the top two trading partners of the United States. All three leaders are under pressure to resolve problems related to the enormous flow of goods and people between their countries. The economic concerns have replaced the diplomatic differences that defined the relationship in Bush's first term.

Both Canada and Mexico refused to support the war against Iraq, and that disagreement strained historically close ties.

This week's summit marked a new phase in Bush's ever-changing relationship with the nations. It was his first official visit with conservative Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper since Harper took office two months ago after promising to improve relations with the U.S. And it reflected the closing stages of his relationship with Fox, who will leave office this year after building a personal bond with the American president that extends back to Bush's time as governor of Texas. A more liberal candidate is leading in the campaign to replace Fox.

Topping Harper's agenda is a long stalemate over U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber imports. Bush said in a pre-trip interview that resolving the dispute will require "very quiet consultations."

Harper also wanted to address Washington's intention to require passports or other forms of secure identification to enter the United States by 2008. Business groups fear the proposal will severely impede tourism and commerce between the world's largest trading bloc, which conducts some $1.5 billion in business daily.