DRUGS TOP AGENDA AS US, MEXICO MEET

Zedillo aides, Albright to review Border Patrol, economic issues

MEXICO CITY -- Drugs -- both Mexico's trafficking and government-corruption
problems and Americans' consumption of the illegal substances -- are
expected to dominate talks Friday between Mexican officials and a team of
top Clinton administration policy-makers led by Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright.

Mexico's disdain for the get-tough policies of the U.S. Border Patrol also
are on the agenda, along with trade issues.

Mexican officials are predicting that new drug-war accords stemming from
this week's meetings will pave the way for joint economic development plans
for the border region. A stronger economy along the border, they hope, would
diminish the tide of undocumented Mexican immigrants, a significant point of
discord between the nations.

Mexican officials expect the meetings to be tranquil -- especially because
of the recent resignation of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Director
Tom Constantine, who was openly critical of Mexico's fight against organized
crime.

As DEA director, Constantine regularly complained to the U.S. Congress about
Mexico's lack of progress against drug cartels. With drug confiscations down
and Mexican drug gangs spreading their influence in U.S. cities such as Los
Angeles, Chicago and New York, Constantine reflected the street-level DEA
agents' concerns about Mexico.

Constantine resigned last week, saying he had been DEA chief long enough.

``We were happy to see him go,'' said a Zedillo administration official, who
spoke on condition of anonymity. Constantine ``was never on the same page
with others in Washington, and it got in the way of our cooperation on this
issue.''

Enough disagreement over drugs remains to keep observers girding for sparks.
One flash point could be U.S. worries about sluggish investigations of
drug-related corruption among high-ranking Mexican officials.

That concern is bound to be aired as U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey meets
with Mexican drug officials. Officially, the only drug issue scheduled for
discussion is a proposal for cooperative operations, with police teams
beefing up law enforcement at the border.

Albright's participation in the annual U.S.-Mexican Cabinet-level meeting of
the so-called Binational Commission is seen as reflecting the new priority
the Clinton administration is placing on Latin American relations. She will
meet with her counterpart here, Rosario Green.

``With all that's happening in the Balkans, she had a good excuse for not
making this trip,'' said Charles Gillespie, Latin America analyst for the
International Policy Forum in Washington. ``Instead, she is preparing well
and plans to work in Mexico City. That this is no Mexican vacation is a sign
of how important relations are between the two countries.''

The U.S. delegation is to include four other Cabinet secretaries: Bruce
Babbitt of Interior, William Daley from Commerce, Rodney Strong of
Transportation and Housing and Urban Development's Andrew Cuomo.

Mexican officials have denounced the Border Patrol's recent campaign to
``squeeze'' undocumented immigrants away from urban crossing points in Texas
and California, which has resulted in more of them trying to get to the
United States through the vast deserts in between.

However, U.S. officials don't seem ready to end the crackdown. Going into
46riday's talks, there are calls by U.S. lawmakers for assigning hundreds
of new agents to the border.

The absence of major controversy has officials in both countries praying the
talks will be uneventful.

``But there are still days before these meetings start,'' said the Zedillo
administration official. ``History tells us anything can happen in
U.S.-Mexico relations.''

Last year's meetings were overshadowed by the arrest of dozens of Mexican
bank executives in the sweeping ``Casablanca'' drug money-laundering
investigation. Mexico accused U.S. drug agents of violating international
law by conducting the sting operation without its permission or cooperation.
U.S. Customs Service officials in Mexico City were threatened with
expulsion, but Mexican officials calmed down after the Clinton
administration pledged to improve cooperation on drug operations.