LEGISLATION WOULD SUSPEND EVALUATION OF DRUG FIGHT IN MEXICO

MEXICO CITY Seeking to end a recurring controversy, U.S. lawmakers led by
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison told Mexican officials Friday that they want the
United States to skip next year's drug certification of Mexico.

The Texas Republican, after meeting with President-elect Vicente Fox, said
a one-year moratorium on the certification process for Mexico would give
Mr. Fox and a new U.S. president time to develop a better mechanism for
evaluating the drug fight.

Every year, the springtime certification debate generates Mexico-bashing in
the U.S. Congress, heightens nationalism and hurts feelings south of the
border.

"I introduced legislation ... for a moratorium on the certification process
because we will have two new presidents early next year in our countries,"
said Ms. Hutchison, who on Friday also met with outgoing President Ernesto
Zedillo. "We wanted to give time to the new presidents ... to work together
against this criminal element."

She said many legislators in the United States would like to modify the
process "so it is more of a working relationship rather than what has been
seen as a grading" of Mexico by the United States.

The other legislators visiting Mexico on Friday were Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.,
and Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.; and Reps. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes; Ciro
Rodriguez, D-San Antonio; Ed Pastor, D-Ariz.; and Jim Colby, R-Ariz.

Every year, the U.S. decides whether about two dozen countries are
cooperating to reduce the production and transit of narcotics. The U.S.
president makes recommendations to Congress by March 1, and legislators
have a month to approve or reject them. Decertification brings some limited
economic sanctions.

Although Mexico has never been decertified, the process is seen as
unilateral and degrading. Many in Mexico blame the United States for the
drug problem on both sides of the border, saying U.S. demand for narcotics
is fueling the trade.

Mr. Fox, who on July 2 became the first opposition candidate to win the
presidency in 71 years, had no immediate comment on Ms. Hutchison's
legislation.

But nearly everyone in Mexico opposes certification in principle.

"I think the one-year moratorium is a good idea, but it's a temporary one,"
said Antonio Ocaranza, a former spokesman for Mr. Zedillo. "Changing the
process is going to be the major task."

Meanwhile, the fight in the U.S. Congress is expected to be fierce.

"The problem with the legislation is that it's unfair from the standpoint
of other countries, like Colombia, which we just gave $1 billion," said a
U.S. Senate staff member familiar with the issue.

"With Fox's bold promises on drug cooperation and cleaning up the judicial
system, Mexico should receive full certification anyway," he added.