MCCAFFREY WANTS MEXICO CERTIFICATION

WASHINGTON (AP) Refusing to certify Mexico as a fully cooperating partner in
the fight against drug trafficking would send an unwise and wrongheaded
political message, White House drug policy director Barry McCaffrey says.

The Clinton administration was scheduled to announce today whether it would
certify that Mexico, America's second-largest trading partner behind Canada,
was fully cooperating with U.S. anti-drug efforts.

"I don't expect any surprises," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said
Thursday when asked if President Clinton would certify Mexico's anti-drug
efforts.

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Jeffrey Davidow, also indicated Thursday that
Clinton would certify Mexico.

"Mexico's efforts in fighting narcotics are appreciated in the United
States," Davidow told the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City.
"Acting alone, we cannot face, we cannot confront and beat the narcotics
traffickers. We have to do this in a cooperative fashion."

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., expressed disappointment with the expected
certification. "Why is this administration rewarding Mexico with U.S. trade
and foreign aid when they are dramatically increasing their heroin
production and significantly lowering their seizures of illegal drugs?" he
asked in a written statement. He is chairman of the House Government Reform
Committee's panel on criminal justice, drug policy and human resources.

By law, the president must judge the performance of all foreign drug-
producing and transiting countries by March 1.

Countries not certified as fully cooperating and not given a national
security waiver would be hit with economic penalties.

Some members of Congress have expressed doubt about Mexico's commitment to
stop narcotics trafficking. But McCaffrey said Thursday the country is
struggling to rid itself of drug-related corruption.

"We're trying to work in practical cooperation with men and women of good
will who share our view that this drug threat is a terrible menace to their
own political institutions and their own children," he told Mica's
subcommittee.

Lawmakers who contend Mexico has failed to meet its responsibilities may
move to block its certification.

"I'm going to have to ask the Senate, 'Is it time to say no, you do not get
recertified?"' Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Thursday.
"They're not doing what they're supposed to be doing on the drug wars."

Meanwhile, House Speaker Dennis Hastert criticized McCaffrey's goal of
reducing U.S. illegal drug use and availability by 50 percent by 2007.

"As Republicans, we have insisted that the nation's drug czar meet
achievable performance standards by 2003," said Hastert, R-Ill. "Moreover,
we need the Clinton-Gore administration to share our commitment to fight to
win the war on drugs."

Hastert also announced that Mica and Reps. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Bill
McCollum, R-Fla., would lead the new Drug-Free America Working Group, a task
force of House Republicans working on the drug issue.