PRESIDENT BERGER'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001970 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS SMIG CIVS GT SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BERGER'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH CONCERNING EXPANSION OF THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER FENCE ¶1. The Guatemalan Foreign Ministry delivered to us on October 4 a letter from President Berger to President Bush expressing concern over the Congressional approval of the U.S.-Mexico border fence. An unofficial translation of the letter follows, the original will be pouched to WHA/CEN. ¶2. (Begin unofficial translation) Guatemala, October 2, 2006 Mr. President: I have the honor to present my compliments to you in order to express our consternation over the decision of the United States Congress to approve a bill for the construction of a 1,200 kilometer wall on your southern border under the belief that such a wall would be a way to check the migration flow from Central AMERICA and Mexico. This decision came as a surprise to Guatemala. It not only projects an image contrary to the values and principles that have governed democratic life throughout the history of the United States of America, but also raises concerns about efforts to prevent the migration flows that take place in a border region. In fact, we believe that the wall is an anachronism in the context of a world marked by ever increasing integration. At the same time, we have doubts about how effective a contribution the wall would make to fulfilling the legitimate security concerns of American citizens. We understand that this initiative does not have the support of the Executive Branch and we have viewed with hope your intention to seek comprehensive immigration reform that aims to control immigration while at the same time regularizing the status of millions of Latin American workers who contribute to the American economy. We are aware that immigration is a complex phenomenon that needs to be addressed by countries of origin as well as countries of destination. For our part, we are working to offer our citizens better lives and opportunities so that they have alternatives that will allow them to remain in their country. However, in the short term, reality forces us to consider the demographic factor in that developed states are populated by older citizens who seek technical and executive work while the majority of the population of our countries consist of persons under thirty with the energy and disposition to work in jobs that the population of destination countries are no longer willing or able to undertake. We therefore trust that this Congressional initiative will not become the law of the land. I take this opportunity to express my highest considerations and regards. Oscar Berger Perdomo President of the Republic (End unofficial translation) Derham