Summit of the Americas
This is Steve Ember with In the News, in VOA Special English.
Leaders of thirty-four countries in the Americas met this week inMonterrey, Mexico. The leaders from north, central and south Americaand the Caribbean discussed trade, terrorism and poverty.
Mexican President Vicente Fox ledthe special Summit of the Americas. Mister Fox praised the two daysof talks but noted there were often sharp differences of opinion.The main disputes were about the issues of free trade and helpingthe poor.
President Bush wanted the leaders to set a time limit oftwo-thousand-five to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas. Thatwould bring together countries from Argentina to Canada, except forCuba. Cuba's leader, Fidel Castro, was not invited to the summit.
Eight-hundred-million people live in the thirty-four nationsrepresented at the meeting. About half live in the United States,Canada and Mexico. Some leaders said the conference did not doenough for the other half. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula daSilva said the main goal should be to help the poor. He said freetrade alone will not solve this problem.
President Bush and President Fox noted economic growth in theircountries as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement.That agreement, known as NAFTA, is ten years old. It links Mexico,the United States and Canada. But some research says NAFTA hasfailed to improve living conditions in Mexico.
Mexico and Canada were the countries that gained the most fromthe United States during the summit and before. During the talks,President Bush promised Canada the chance to take part in futurerebuilding projects in Iraq. The Bush administration had saidcountries that opposed the war, as Canada did, could not take partin those projects.
Also, days before the summit, President Bush announced atemporary worker program for people who entered the United Statesillegally. The country has an estimated eight-million to as many astwelve-million illegal immigrants. Immigration officials estimatedthat almost five-million came from Mexico as of January oftwo-thousand.
Mexico's president called the proposal a very important stepforward. Mister Fox also accepted another invitation to visit MisterBush at his home in Texas in March. Mister Bush's proposal would letillegal immigrants work legally for at least three years. HonduranPresident Ricardo Maduro said the plan would give people closer tiesto Latin Americans in the United States.
The final declaration at the summit did not set a date toestablish the Free Trade Area of the Americas. And it did notinclude an American proposal to bar leaders of dishonest governmentsfrom future meetings. But the leaders did promise greatercooperation in the fight against terrorism.
In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk.This is Steve Ember.
