RENO LAUDS HOSTS' CRIME-FIGHTING EFFORTS

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno praised Mexico's
crime-fighting efforts Friday at the end of a major Cabinet-level
meeting between the United States and Mexico.

As usual at annual meetings of the Binational Commission, the two
sides lavishly promised continued cooperation.

The talks followed up on agreements and reached new ones on such
topics as airline fare accords and how to split seized drug money.

But both sides expressed irritation at newspaper reports suggesting
U.S. officials had questions about possible ties between prominent
Mexican politicians and drug traffickers.

The New York Times said Reno had privately expressed doubts about a
Mexican investigation clearing Jose Liebano Saenz, President Ernesto
Zedillo's private secretary, of alleged ties to drug figures.