MEXICO AND COLOMBIA WIN CERTIFICATION IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

WASHINGTON, March 1 - The Clinton administration reported today that Mexico
and Colombia are doing their share to stop the production and smuggling of
illegal drugs, even though both countries are prominent drug exporters as
well as centers of drug-related corruption.

The two countries were among 26 identified as sources of or conduits for
illicit drugs around the world. All but two of those were nonetheless
granted certified as cooperating with the United States to stop drug
trafficking.

Only Afghanistan and Myanmar, the former Burma, which produce most of the
world's opium, were denied certification again this year.

Four countries that got conditional certification, Cambodia, Haiti, Nigeria
and Paraguay, were identified as problems last year. Officially, the four
did not meet the requirements for certification but were granted it in the
"vital interests" of the United States.

But Colombia, which produces almost all of the world's cocaine and most of
the heroin showing up in the northeastern United States, and Mexico, the
corridor for the majority of cocaine entering the United States, were
certified as cooperating fully in fighting drugs.

Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, the White House director of national drug policy,
said in a statement today, "The recent brutal and public assassination of a
Mexican police chief along the United States-Mexican border shows the
boldness of the Mexican cartels, a boldness that is fed by continuing
violence and corruption."

But as he did last year, General McCaffrey said that the Mexican government
was doing better against the drug growers and shippers, and that continued
support by the United States was essential.

In Colombia, General McCaffrey said, President Andres Pastrana has been
working hard "to achieve peace and bring the rule of law to Colombia's
drug-producing regions," and deserves continuing American support.

Congress requires the administration to submit annually a report card on
countries where drugs are produced or smuggled. The United States exempts
itself from the list.

The countries that fail to be certified are subject to American trade
sanctions, including the withholding of investment credits by international
lending institutions. In fact, only a handful have beene punished to the
full extent.

This year's list differed only slightly different from last year's. Aruba
and Belize were dropped from the latest list of offenders because their
anti-drug programs were considered to have improved.

The administration's submission of the list to Congress invariably prompts
annualskepticism, or outright grumbling about the favored treatment given
Mexico, and to a lesser extent, Colombia.

Congress could reverse the certification of a country like Mexico by
majority votes in both houses. But if President Clinton chose to veto the
denial, a two-thirds vote in both houses would be required to override him.

Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina, and Representative
Benjamin Gilman, Republican of New York, who are the chairmen of the Senate
Foreign Relations and House International Relations committees,
respectively, have said that they favor decertification of Mexico.

"Diplomatic niceties do not serve the interests of either the United States
or Mexico," Mr. Gilman said in a statement issued today. He said he and Mr.
Helms had written to Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright to assert
that "in the end, it is hard-working, honest citizens" in both countries
who suffer because of drug-related corruption.

But a spokesman said Mr. Gilman would not try to block certification for
Mexico.

Cambodia, Haiti, Nigeria and Paraguay were granted conditional
certification because nurturing democracy in those nations was judged to be
in the vital interest of the United States.

Speaking about Nigeria, which has become aa major international hub for
drug trafficking , General McCaffrey said, "We believe the new
democratically elected government is interested in developing a better
counter-drug program, and we will help where we can."

Since Washington has little to do with Afghanistan or Myanmar, denying them
certification has little practical effect. Most of Afghanistan has been
occupied by the Taliban, a militant Islamic movement, and Myanmar is run by
a military dictatorship. Both countries have said they want to cut back
their opium production.

General McCaffrey again noted that the growing of coca, from which cocaine
is derived, has dropped in Peru and Bolivia in the last several years
because of stricter law enforcement. "We applaud their success and will
continue to support them in their efforts," he said.

Still, this decline has been partly offset by a significant increase in
coca cultivation in Colombia, especially in areas under guerrilla control.