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GV Crowd at airport PAN TO reception committee
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SV Aircraft taxiing in.
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SV Mexican President goes forward
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SV Costa Rican President down steps and welcomed (3 shots)
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SV Presidents walk across tarmac, crowd applaud (2 shots)
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SV Children with flags (2 shots)
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SV Crowd lining route, PAN TO Presidents in open car
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SV Banners decorate route
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SV People dance and wave PAN TO Presidents in car.
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: President Jose Figueres of Costa Rica started an official visit to Mexico's Yucatan state on Thursday (May 20), and immediately appealed United States. The Costa Rican leader was welcomed by Mexico's President Luis Echiverria. It's expected that the two leaders will discuss ways of improving commercial relations.

SYNOPSIS: At Merida, capital of Mexico's Yucatan state, a great welcome awaited President Jose Figueres of Costa Rica on Thursday.

Mexico's President Luis Echeverria led the reception. Merida is the centre for the production of henequen--sisal hemp--though the industry is suffering a recession at the moment because of competition from foreign synthetic fibres. So President Figueres had a sympathetic hearing when, shortly after his arrival, he made an impassioned call for Latin-American unity to shake off what he termed the "economic colonialism" of the United States.

Many among the crowds lining the presidential route are among the thousands of Yucatan peasants who have seen their livelihood disappear in the face of foreign competition. So they place great hope on the chance of new commercial initiatives resulting from the meeting of the two heads of state.