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U.S. cautious on immigration progress with Mexico
10 Nov 2003 18:23:01 GMT
WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. official on Monday played down the chances the United States and Mexico will make much progress on migration issues in talks this week despite Mexico's strong desire for U.S. reforms to protect Mexican immigrants.

However, the official suggested there might be agreement on allowing U.S. Peace Corps volunteers to go to Mexico for the first time and creating a secure "hotline" to exchange information on matters including security threats.

"I do not want to raise expectations," Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega told reporters when asked about migration ahead of Wednesday's meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission.

The commission will gather nine U.S. Cabinet secretaries and eight Mexican ministers for talks ranging from the hot-button immigration issue to the more mundane matters of water, law enforcement and trade across the 2,000-mile border.

Mexico's hopes for sweeping changes to U.S. immigration laws under U.S. President George W. Bush collapsed with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Washington responded by tightening its border controls and launching its declared war on terror.

Relations between Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox soured this year when Mexico joined France and Germany in opposing U.S. attempts to win U.N. support to invade Iraq.

After months of tension, the two recently agreed to start talking again and immigration reform is back on the agenda, although both sides now say they will move cautiously.

"We need to find ways to make the migration safe and legal and orderly and humane and that is something that we will be discussing in general," Noriega said. "But I want to take particular care not to raise expectations."

Noriega said he hoped the two countries would make progress on creating a secure hotline for officials. The hotline could be used to exchange information on homeland security, border security, potential terrorist threats and criminal activity.

He also said Washington hoped to make progress on an accord for Mexico to host Peace Corps volunteers with high-tech skills who could transfer their expertise to Mexicans.


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