DRUGS, IMMIGRATION AND TRADE TOP THE AGENDA FOR BUSH AND FOX'S MEETING.

Tomorrow marks the initiation of what could prove to be a starkly different
relationship between the United States and Mexico. U.S. President George W.
Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox meet for a one-day summit in the
state of Guanajuato, at an auspicious moment for both countries and both
newly installed administrations.

The political, social and economic panorama has been altered drastically in
recent years. Mexico's democracy re-energized when its people brushed aside
71 years of one-party rule. Economic development and foreign investment
continue at a galloping pace. There exists a realistic possibility of peace
in Chiapas.

For the United States, the growing influence of Mexican-Americans and
Mexican immigrants is felt culturally and politically. Trade with Mexico
continues to expand, and U.S. companies increasingly rely on the cheap labor
benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The integration of the border region, where boundaries continue to blur,
serves as a blueprint for what increased national cooperation and economic
integration could look like. That integration will continue. It falls to
Bush and Fox to chart a sensible plan for a lasting, equitable partnership
between the two countries. They can begin with the following:

DRUGS: The cycle of recrimination must end. Mexico must strike back against
drug traffickers. The United States must work to stanch the demand for
drugs. Ending the divisive decertification process would earn Bush
tremendous good will among all Latin American nations and remove an obstacle
to freer dialogue.

Given its citizens' insatiable demand for illegal drugs, the United States
should not continue to pass judgment on interdiction efforts across the
globe. America must be a partner, not a reproving adversary.

IMMIGRATION: Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, proposed a temporary work visa
program to allow Mexicans to work in the United States. Such a program must
provide workers with flexibility to change jobs and some mechanism to become
citizens, or it is merely an indentured servitude system masquerading as an
inducement.

Fox has called for amnesty for undocumented Mexican workers living in the
United States. Although a blanket amnesty is unlikely, something should be
done to allow Mexican laborers in the United States to apply for citizenship
and to streamline the calcified immigration approval process.

The economic importance of Mexican labor to Texas business is obvious. The
growing cultural links between the two countries also warrant a rethinking
of existing immigration policy. Both presidents have advanced the importance
of closer ties between the United States and Mexico. A good first step would
be a binational commission on immigration.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: NAFTA-plus, as Fox envisioned it, remains an amorphous
concept. Currency consolidation and free labor movements are mere pipe
dreams for now, but the presidents should work to bring down those barriers
that impede trade and economic development. Lowered tourist fees, more
international travel opportunities and streamlined border procedures must be
considered.

Making the current beneficial relationship last will also require
investment. Mexican border cities suffer under the burden of rapid growth
with inadequate infrastructures. The United States is affected by the
increased pollution and widespread corruption that growth often brings.
Helping Mexico address these problems will be key to continued economic
opportunities for U.S. companies.

AMERICAS DIPLOMACY: A reinvigorated, democratic Mexico must assume a larger
voice in hemispheric affairs. Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda has
hinted as much; the United States needs a powerful ally to defend democracy
in a region that has seen coups and military takeovers in recent years. If
Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia are to remain stable, the United States
cannot be the lone voice raised in defense of democracy. Mexico can be a
powerful ally in the region, though its voice may sometimes be raised in
discord.