PRESIDENT BUSH'S REPLY TO PRESIDENT BERGER ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002390

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2009
TAGS: CVIS SMIG KCRM SNAR ASEC PBTS GT
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BUSH'S REPLY TO PRESIDENT BERGER ON
DEPORTATIONS

REF: STATE 199611

Classified By: Ambassador John Hamilton for reasons 1.5 (b) & (d).


1. (U) The Ambassador is seeking an appointment with
President Berger to carry out ref instructions. In the
interim, the Ambassador took advantage of a previously
scheduled meeting September 16 to provide Guatemalan FM Briz
an advance brief, given that he and President Berger are
leaving September 18 for the UNGA.


2. (C) In the thorough discussion of migration issues that
followed, Briz accepted the statistics showing that
deportations had actually decreased from the previous year,
that the U.S. was not singling out Guatemalan citizens for
deportation, and that U.S. immigration policy was not
unreasonable.

HAMILTON