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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Politics Brewer's Border Conference Conundrum

Posted by Jim Nintzel on Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 10:54 PM

The New York Times looks at how SB 1070 is upending relations between Arizona and Mexico, especially when it comes to an annual get-together between border governors:

Ms. Brewer happens by rotation to be the chairwoman and host of this year’s conference, scheduled for September at a resort in Phoenix. But after all six Mexican border governors wrote to her to say they intended to boycott the gathering to protest the new law, Ms. Brewer sent a letter of her own last week to the governors on both sides of the border saying she was canceling the whole conference.

“I am disappointed by your decision,” she said in a letter June 30. “I sincerely believe the gathering of the governors in Arizona would have presented a great platform to initiate dialogue about the legislation and other topics of great importance to the border region.”

Then there's this detail:

For now, the conference Web site, hosted by the State of Arizona, shows no sign of the conflict. In fact, Ms. Brewer has a statement on it declaring, “I am excited to host this year’s event.”

She adds: “We will continue to promote mutual prosperity for the states along the U.S.-Mexico border region, as we foster stronger relations between our two countries. The Border Governors Conference is the premier forum for analysis, dialogue and support for specific initiatives and policies that address the unique needs of our border region.”

Yeah, fostering stronger relations and mutual prosperity. Right.

Read the whole thing here.