IN THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS ON THE BOMBING: `IT'S A ROUTINE MISSION'

Following are excerpts from a news conference with President Bush and
President Vicente Fox of Mexico, as transcribed by the Federal News
Service Inc. Mr. Fox spoke in Spanish, and an interpreter translated.

Q. I have a question for President Bush. What is the message that you
want to send right now? What does the United States want to send to
the world as a message, with the new bombing of Iraq? And above all,
why, Mr. Bush, at this point, when you are establishing a dialogue
with the president of Mexico? . . .

PRESIDENT BUSH. In answer to part B of your question, the United
States is engaged in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf. We will
remain. We will remain so. Since 1991, our country has been enforcing
what's called a no-fly zone. A routine mission was conducted to
enforce the no-fly zone. And it is a mission about which I was
informed and I authorized. But I repeat, it's a routine mission, and
we will continue to enforce the no-fly zone until the world is told
otherwise.

Q. Sir, as you say, this is the first military action you've taken as
president of the United States. I'm wondering whether it signals a
hardening of the U.S. position toward Iraq and, specifically, is it
your goal to drive Saddam Hussein from power? And secondly, are you
putting Saddam on notice today that American and military action will
be more frequent or more forceful than it was before you became
president?

PRESIDENT BUSH. Saddam Hussein has got to understand we expect him to
conform to the agreement that he signed after Desert Storm. We will
enforce the no-fly zone, both South and North. Our intention is to
make sure that the world is as peaceful as possible. And we're going
to watch very carefully as to whether or not he develops weapons of
mass destruction. And if we catch him doing so, we'll take the
appropriate action. . . .

Q. Another question. Certification in Mexico -- will it continue?
Will it disappear forever? Would you trust our friend, Fox?

PRESIDENT BUSH. This question is on drug certification, and really
about our relations with President Fox. I trust your president. He's
the kind of man you can look in the eye and know he's shooting
straight with you. I appreciate the fact that he was a one-time
governor. I've got kind of a partiality to governors. . . .

We need to work together on the drug issue. One of the reasons why
drugs are shipped -- the main reason why drugs are shipped through
Mexico to the United States -- is because United States citizens use
drugs, and our nation must do a better job of educating our citizenry
about the dangers and evils of drug use.

Secondly, I believe there is a movement in the country to review all
the certification process. I'm certainly going to take the message
back to the members of Congress that I firmly believe that President
Fox will do everything in his power to root out the drug lords and to
halt drug trafficking as best as he possibly can. . . .

Q. Since you two are working together on several actions that you
want to undertake together in a short future and also the long-term
future, do you support the military actions like the ones like the
United States is doing bombing Iraq?

PRESIDENT FOX. I do not have a position or a statement on that topic
specifically, because this will be done through the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in the future. . . .

Q. A question for President Fox. Do you think that it is not an
improper gesture in this visit that the recent bombing of Iraq is
what is attracting the attention, and would put a shade -- a
different shadow -- on this meeting here in Guanajuato?

PRESIDENT FOX. I see no reason why we should connect one event with
the other one. Here we are in the process of building up and
constructing a strategy to foster the economic and human development
of a complete region that is formed by three countries that have been
associated under a free-trade agreement, and that the relationship
between the United States and Mexico that has proven already that it
has made advancements very constructively.

The levels of trade we have had are really fantastic, and they are
the envy of many people. Many people have never thought that the year
of 2001, with a trade balance of $250 billion -- this has meant
development for the United States. It has meant employment in the
United States. It has meant development and employment in Mexico, as
well.

This is what has allowed us to reduce, substantively, the level of
poverty in Mexico.

In the last four years, more than four million poor people have gone
beyond extreme poverty levels. This is what we have invested in, to
take these people above these levels, and all the time that we have
invested discussing these strategic points allow us to see that there
is a possibility of going ahead to get more benefits from the
relationships and to be true partners toward prosperity and to be
true friends and to be true neighbors. And this purpose is something
that has been clearly stated today, and we are very pleased with it
and we are full of confidence that we can see the future with a more
optimistic approach, as of today's meeting.

Q. President Bush, if I may, another question about Iraq. As we
understand it, this was in response to violations that have happened
over several weeks, perhaps several months. What prompted you to take
this decision at this time?

PRESIDENT BUSH. The commanders on the ground rightly make the
decision as to how to enforce the no-fly zone. I want to assure those
who don't understand U.S. policy that this is a routine mission. Some
of the missions require the commander in chief to be informed. This
was such a mission. It is not the first time it has happened,
regrettably so.

We will continue to enforce the no-fly zones. The no-fly zones are
enforced on a daily basis. It is -- it is a part of a strategy, and
until that strategy is changed, it if is changed at all, we will
continue to enforce the no-fly zone.

But anyway, the decision was made on the ground.