ALBRIGHT HAILS U.S.-MEXICO TIES

(Oaxaca, Mexico) (AP) -- In contrast to past years, there is little
suspense about whether Mexico will have to endure the stigma this year
of a failing grade in the annual U.S. evaluation of its cooperation
with American counterdrug efforts.

It won' t.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was asked about the issue Sunday
at a news conference after meeting with Foreign Secretary Rosario Green.

Both praised the levels of cooperation the two countries have reached
on a range of issues. Green said the U.S.-Mexican " dialogue of the
deaf" of previous years is past.

Mexico and other countries that serve as drug producers or transit
points have complained bitterly about the yearly congressionally
mandated process under which those deemed to be not fully cooperating
with U.S. control efforts can be subject to economic penalties.

In some years, there has been almost a cliffhanger atmosphere in the
countdown toward the State Department decision on whether Mexico
should be " certified" as fully cooperating or " decertified" for not
doing enough in the drug war.

Any suspense over the State Department' s decision on Mexico this
year, due at the end of February, seemed to evaporate Sunday when
Albright said Mexican cooperation has been " at a very good level."

Since the certification process was initiated in the mid-1980s, Mexico
has yet to be decertified.

Albright also said, " Our problems are not as much with each other as
they are with those who are trying to undermine what we are trying to
do." This year' s certification process involves an evaluation of
Mexico and 25 other countries.

Those who do not pass muster can be subject to economic
penalties.

Green said certification did not come up during discussions Sunday at
this picturesque city in Mexico' s deep south, the last stop on a
three-day Albright visit to Latin America.

She returned to Washington late Sunday night.

In her discussion of the drug issue, the secretary talked about
Mexico' s willingness to cooperate but made no reference to the
results it has achieved.

This tactic has been a sore point with some lawmakers who believe the
State Department' s evaluation should be more results-oriented.

Mexico was certified last February, even though its cocaine seizures
were down 35 percent in 1998 and eradication of opium poppies did not
keep pace with new cultivation. The overall harvest increased by 25
percent, government figures show.

Richard Fiano, chief of operations for the Drug Enforcement
Administration, said in congressional testimony in September that "
continuing reports of corruption and the rapidly growing power and
influence of the major organized criminal groups in Mexico cause us
great concern about the long-term prospects for success."

Weeks later, however, Mexican Attorney General Jorge Madrazo said
record hauls of 1, 235 tons of marijuana and 185 kilograms of heroin
had been seized by Mexico over the previous year. He said the 25.5
tons of confiscated cocaine was among the highest totals in recent
years.

At the time, Barry McCaffrey, the Clinton administration' s drug
control chief, agreed that Mexican efforts were producing results.

" The numbers are spectacular, " he said.