ENGAGING MEXICO

Bush-Fox Meeting Sets The Right Tone For Relations.

It's unfortunate that President Bush's visit to Mexico last Friday was
upstaged by the U.S. bombing -- ordered by Bush -- of Iraqi air defense
sites on the very same day, because the president's meeting with Mexican
President Vicente Fox was more than just a get-acquainted session between
two men who already knew each other.

During seven hours of talks, Bush and Fox took steps toward putting
U.S.-Mexican relations, already improving, on a stronger footing on several
fronts: immigration, narcotics trafficking, and trade, most importantly.
They agreed to form a joint high-level task force to find ways to legalize
temporary migration by Mexican workers to the United States.

At the same time, Bush spoke more bluntly than any other U.S. president in
memory in acknowledging that "the main reason why drugs are shipped through
Mexico to the United States is because United States citizens use drugs."
That puts the problem in the right perspective; now it remains for Bush,
and Congress, to provide the means to tackle this problem on the demand
side at home, just as Fox must accelerate steps already begun to crack down
on the corruption that lubricates the narcotics traffic on his side of the
border.

Welcome as are these steps -- and others, including a reaffirmed commitment
to move toward freer trade -- the process of change will not be easy. In
this country there is strong resistance to legalizing increased
immigration, particularly in the form of a broad amnesty for millions of
Mexicans already here illegally. And while some form of guest-worker
program makes sense -- because it would provide legal protection and better
working conditions to people now subject to exploitation, while
guaranteeing farmers a reliable supply of workers -- it would be justified
only if the program were enforced rigorously, which the history of past
programs suggests is anything but assured.

On the issue of drug-trafficking, one heartening sign is the changing
sentiment on Capitol Hill toward the annual ritual wherein the president
must certify to Congress that Mexico (among some 25 countries) is
cooperating in this country's efforts to stem the flow of illegal drugs.
Justifiably, Mexicans resent this process, which has been characterized by
presidential waivers that effectively render certification meaningless
while provoking Mexican wrath anyway. That California's Sen. Dianne
Feinstein, who in the past has demanded sanctions against Mexico for its
failure to stem the drug flow, now favors a suspension of the certification
process is a hopeful sign that change may come soon; but Bush must push for it.

It's easy to forget in the current heady atmosphere that not many years ago
U.S. relations with Mexico were tense, bordering on hostile. Much has
changed: The North American Free Trade Agreement has boosted exports in
both directions, U.S. economic growth has eased anti-immigrant pressure in
this country; and the recent elections of Bush and Fox have brought to
power two men not only committed to better relations but, by all
appearances, committed to making it happen. The process is well begun,
however formidable the obstacles remaining.