Spain criticizes U.S. of building border fence

The Spanish government criticized the United States for trying to halt illegal immigration, through the building of new fencing along its border with Mexico, the Spanish foreign minister said here on Friday.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, who was here for the 16th Ibero-American Summit, said growing immigration problems "must be tackled through diplomacy and agreements, not through fence-building."

The foreign ministers of Latin American countries and Spain gathered in Montevideo, Uruguay, before the opening of the Summit, which will focus on immigration, legal and illegal, as well as obstacles to economic growth.

The foreign ministers unanimously adopted a rejection statement on the building of the 1,100 km-long border fence along the U.S. southern border.

The statement, which will be proposed to the summit for ratification, will focus on "rejection" of the fence, instead of "condemnation," Moratinos said during a briefing after the preparatory meeting.

Last week, U.S. President George W. Bush signed a bill authorizing the new fencing, irritating several Latin American governments.

"Fence-building does not stop illegal immigration, migrants trafficking or the trafficking of human beings and encourages discrimination and xenophobia, as well as the creation of trafficker groups, which endanger people more," he said.

The document expressed a "deep concern for the decision made by the United States on building a fence along the Mexican border because it is a unilateral move and goes against the spirit of understanding."

The meeting also called on the U.S. authorities to develop "measures aimed at legalizing workers from other countries, and to implement temporary workers programs, which would guarantee full respect of human and labour rights."

Source: Xinhua