Mexican president praises NAFTA

WASHINGTON, April 22 (UPI) -- Mexico's president praised the North American Free Trade Agreement Monday after a summit meeting in Washington, The Washington Post reported.

After meeting with President George Bush and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Felipe Calderon said NAFTA was creating jobs and economic growth and "decreasing the flow of immigration."

"I do not believe that people are realizing how many benefits NAFTA has brought both to the United States and to Mexico," he said.

Calderon did not name Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., or Barack Obama D-Ill., both of whom have been critical of the trade accord, the Post reported.

Thomas J. Donahue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the two candidates have toned down their criticism of NAFTA while campaigning in Pennsylvania, a state that exports goods to both Canada and Mexico.

Alluding to the possibility that the next president could withdraw from NAFTA or change the agreement drastically, Donahue said, "I don't think we are going to screw up the NAFTA deal."