Tough times for ‘Three Amigos’
TEXT OF STORY
Scott Jagow: Today, President Bush meets with the presidents of Mexico and Canada. They’ll be talking trade, travel and border security. People are calling this gathering the “Three Amigos Summit,” but I don’t know how friendly it will actually be. Dan Grech has more from our Americas Desk at WLRN.
Dan Grech: The nasty debate over illegal immigration in the U.S. has turned off Mexico, and America’s new passport rules have rankled Canada.
So don’t expect a love fest in Quebec today, says Michael Shifter with the Inter American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington DC.
Michael Shifter: It’s hard to see that a lot of progress is going to be made on pushing integration, either on economic issues or immigration. Those are kind of stuck.
But Shifter does see one area where Mexico and the U.S. may see eye-to-eye.
Shifter: An anti-drug aid package.
Word is the U.S. is willing already to increase anti-drug funding from the present $16 million to $400 million.
Shifter: You have spreading criminality and disorder and violence in Mexico. That certainly is not good for U.S. economic interests, for investment and trade.
A plan could be announced as early as today.
I’m Dan Grech for Marketplace.
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