Migration, water debt are priorities at high-level meeting

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) --Secretary of State Colin Powell says he is not optimistic
about the possibility of early agreement with Mexico on changes in migration laws and
on Mexico's huge water debt to the United States.

Powell commented to reporters while en route here for high-level discussions
on a range of cross-border issues. Joining Powell are five other members of
President Bush's cabinet.

Before the deliberations get under way, President Vicente Fox planned to
receive the U.S. delegation at Los Pinos, the presidential compound. In
addition to remarks from Fox, Powell and Mexican Foreign Secretary Jorge
Castaneda, a videotaped message from President Bush also was planned.

Afterward, the U.S. and Mexican delegations were expected to divide up into
working groups for discussions that would continue until the afternoon.

Besides Powell, the visiting American VIPs are Attorney General John
Ashcroft, Education Secretary Rod Paige, Transportation Secretary Norman
Mineta, Interior Secretary Gail Norton, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao and
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman.

Powell touched on some cross-border issues during his meeting with reporters
and later on when he met with about 150 members of the American Chamber
of Commerce in Mexico.

He said lingering concerns about the security of Americans make it highly
unlikely that substantial headway would be made toward an immigration
overhaul agreement, one of Fox's top priorities.

"Progress has not been as rapid as we would like because of intervening
circumstances," Powell said, alluding to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

He added that congressional resistance to a migration agreement may have
increased as a result of the strong Republican showing in congressional
elections earlier this month.

Bush 'has not lost his desire' for immigration reform

But Powell suggested that Bush could be ready to push for an agreement once
the newly created Department of Homeland Security makes progress on
reducing potential terrorist threats.

Bush "has not lost his desire to move forward on this front," Powell said. He did
not suggest in his comments that Mexican migrants posed a terrorist threat.

Some leading Democratic lawmakers believe the time to act on immigration
reform is now. Outgoing House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Missouri,
has proposed granting legal status to undocumented immigrants who have
resided in the United States for five years, worked for two years and have
played by the rules. There are more than 4 million illegal Mexican aliens in the
United States, according to Census figures.

On another subject, Powell showed little optimism that Mexico would pay its
water debt to South Texas farmers anytime soon.

"It's a serious problem in Texas," Powell said. "They need the water.
Agriculture in that part of Texas is in trouble without additional water." Unless
Mexico moves quickly, much of the current crop in parched areas north of the
border will be lost, Powell said.

The debt is tabulated on the basis of a 1944 bilateral treaty that outlined how
much water Mexico must allow to flow into the Rio Grande River that
separates the two countries.

For its part, Mexico is complaining that U.S. farm subsidies are giving
American agribusiness an unfair advantage over their Mexican counterparts. As
a result, Mexico is reintroducing crop support prices and increasing other
subsidies.

In January, the North American Free Trade Agreement eliminates tariffs
between the United States and Mexico on all but three products: corn, dairy
and sugar. All tariffs are to be removed in 2008.

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.