CLINTON CERTIFIES MEXICO AS FULL PARTNER IN DRUG WAR,
DESPITE REPORTS OF CORRUPTION

Mexico on Friday won President Clinton's stamp of approval as a full
partner in the crusade against drugs, despite testimony from U.S. law
enforcement officials that narcotics syndicates south of the border
have gained enormous power in that country.

Clinton's certification of Mexico as "fully cooperating" in the
counter-narcotics campaign sent the matter to Congress, which has
grown increasingly exasperated in recent years over reports of
continued drug-related corruption in a Mexican justice system that has
failed to corral many major traffickers.

Anti-certification forces in Congress denounced the president's action
Friday and pledged a campaign to overturn it. But it remained unclear
whether congressional critics were merely going through the motions or
whether they will wage an uphill fight to demote Mexico in the annual
drug rankings.

Congress, which has 30 days to overturn the ruling, has never rejected
a presidential certification.

Certification has become an annual, angst-ridden rite since Congress
enacted a law in 1986 requiring the president to evaluate the level of
counter-narcotics cooperation of countries deemed to be major
producers or transit points for the lucrative worldwide drug trade.
Countries not certified as full partners face sanctions, including
loss of foreign aid and U.S. opposition to loans from international
development banks.

Some lawmakers are already looking beyond this year's report. In a
letter to Clinton made public Friday, Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-
Calif, and Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, and a handful of others argued
that the president should hold Mexico to stricter standards in the
coming year.

They want Mexico to make progress in extraditing drug traffickers to
the United States (to date no alleged Mexican cartel leader has been);
to ratify new bilateral protocols for extradition and maritime
cooperation; and to make a "major improvement" in seizing the cocaine,
marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine that pass through its territory
en route to the United States.

The senators, who described themselves as holding "varying positions"
on certification this year, stopped short of threatening to mount an
effort to overturn Clinton's decision.

But in the House, a bipartisan coalition may do just
that.

"The situation has gotten worse rather than better," said Rep. John L.
Mica, R-Fla. "I'm really concerned (the Mexicans) may be on the verge
of losing control of their country. You could have the creation of
another narco-terrorist state. When it's along our border, you have a
very serious problem."

House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt, D-Mo., an ally of the White
House, said he will oppose Clinton's decision. "The law requires that
we objectively assess what the Mexican government has done over the
past year, not put our hopes in what progress may come in the future,"
he said.