Bush Defends NAFTA, Assails Clinton, Obama on Stances

NEW ORLEANS — President Bush chastised lawmakers yesterday for letting international trade deals falter in Congress and criticized Democratic presidential contenders for wanting to scrap or amend the vast North American free-trade zone.

At the close of a two-day summit, Mr. Bush, along with President Calderon of Mexico and Prime Minister Harper of Canada, stood solidly behind the North American Free Trade Agreement. Under NAFTA, trade between America, Canada, and Mexico has swelled to an estimated $1 trillion by the end of this year from roughly $290 billion in 1994.

"Now is not the time to renegotiate NAFTA or walk away from NAFTA," Mr. Bush said. "Now is the time to make it work better for all our people. And now is the time to reduce trade barriers worldwide."

The summit was overshadowed by yesterday's Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary race between senators Clinton and Obama, who have threatened to pull America out of NAFTA or renegotiate it to push for more protections for workers and the environment.

With fears about job security already being fanned by downturns in the economy, trade has become a key issue of the presidential election.

Mr. Bush argued that NAFTA has fostered prosperity in all three countries and that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama are wrongly using anti-trade messages to lure working-class voters.

Free-trade opponents say expanded international trade helps businesses, but threatens American jobs and keeps wages from growing.

Mr. Bush warned that without NAFTA, migratory pressure from Mexico would be worse.