ASHINGTON - President-elect Vicente Fox of Mexico drew praise from Al Gore and George W. Bush yesterday, but the two presidential contenders' neighborliness was mixed with reservations - especially from Bush - about Fox's proposal to eventually open the US-Mexican border.
On a visit rife with political overtones both north and south of the border, Fox spent an hour with Gore strolling the grounds of the vice president's official residence, then went to the White House for a meeting with President Clinton. He plans to meet with Bush today in Texas.
Early yesterday, Fox sketched out his vision of a more united North America, saying, ''We can begin with an agreement about the border ... by creating a program of convergence, and in a period of five to 10 years, we may be able to open the borders not just to capital or goods, but also to people.''
Clinton did not discuss details of Fox's proposals, but spoke of the inevitability of ever-closer ties between the two countries. ''I think over time, you will see a growing interdependence in our hemisphere,'' Clinton said as he stood in the Rose Garden next to Fox. ''It will be the way of the world. I regret I won't be around for a lot of it. But it is a good thing.''
With the approach of the US presidential elections, Clinton's role yesterday was overshadowed by the Democratic and Republican candidates. Gore's foreign policy team had touted the meeting with Fox as an example of his extensive contacts with foreign leaders. For Bush, the Fox meeting underscores the one area where the Republican candidate has significant foreign relations experience, in dealing as Texas governor with Mexico.
For Fox, bringing suggestions for improving US-Mexican ties even before he takes office Dec. 1 - rather than simply waiting to react to US overtures - was an attempt to establish him as a forward-looking leader. He already has visited other Latin American countries and plans a trip to Europe before taking office.
''Mexico's commitment to the future has changed, and our responsibility is to take all this positive energy to go forth,'' Fox said.
Fox described his meetings with Clinton, Gore, and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as ''extremely positive, extremely friendly and extremely useful.''
Gore praised Fox yesterday as a man with ''big ideas, very large ideas.'' Bush, traveling from Austin to New Orleans, said he was ''an interesting man, a big strong man, a charismatic fellow.'' He predicted a ''good long-term relationship'' with Fox should Bush prevail in November.
But Bush was less kind in his assessment of Fox's proposal for the eventual opening of the US-Mexican border.
''I don't think he's fully explained open borders,'' Bush said. ''As you know, I believe we ought to enforce our borders.'' He said he will emphasize that point in a speech today before his meeting with Fox.
From the Democratic side, reservations about Fox's plan also were voiced.
Leon Fuerth, Gore's national security adviser, said Gore during his meeting with Fox found aspects of Fox's open border proposals to be ''very problematic'' for the United States. Gore listened respectfully to Fox's ideas and pointed out that implementation would take 25 to 30 years, Fuerth said.
Gore's day also included campaigning at the University of Maryland in College Park, where he promoted his plan for a college tuition tax credit. The plan would include a tax-free saving program for higher education.
In his speech to about 1,000 people in an outdoor amphitheater, Gore said his tuition proposal would allow families to claim either a credit or a tax deduction of 28 percent on up to $10,000 in tuition and fees for any post-secondary education.
Gore's staff said most families with a child in college would be able to claim the full $2,800 credit.
The proposal also would involve a new ''401(j)'' provision to which workers and their employers could contribute just as they do for 401(k) retirement accounts. Invested earnings could be withdrawn tax-free if used for any education expenses.
Material from the Washington Post was included in this report.
