Mexico slams U.S. drugs certification policy

MEXICO CITY, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A top Mexican official criticised the
United States on Friday ahead of a visit by President Bill Clinton, saying
Washington's practice of certifying allies in the war on drugs was unfair
and inhibited cooperation.

Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Labastida said his country would never
accept the annual U.S. practice of deciding whether to certify that Mexico
is doing its part in the war on drugs.

U.S. certification is required for Mexico to be eligible to receive aid in
battling drug trafficking. Clinton has granted Mexico certification in the
face of strong opposition from some members of Congress every year since
taking office in 1993.

"It does not appear fair to us that one country can set about certifying
others," Labastida said in an interview with Mexico's Radio Red just two
days before Clinton's second official visit to Mexico.

"Mexico's position has not changed: Mexico does not accept certification,"
he added. "(Certification) does not help cooperation in the anti-drug fight."

Clinton and his wife, Hillary, arrive in the southern Mexican state of
Yucatan for a brief working visit on Sunday.

Diplomats from both countries said the certification issue was not a topic
scheduled for discussion by Clinton and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo.

But the two will dedicate a big part of their meeting to drawing up new
accords linked to the "Binational Alliance against Drugs," created in May
1997 during Clinton's first visit to Mexico.

Other themes include the migration of Mexican workers to the United States,
and economic and trade relations.

The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Jeffrey Davidow, said this week that
certification was not a subject for international negotiation. But
anti-drug collaboration would be discussed by the two leaders in Merida,
capital of Yucatan state, he said.

Labastida returned from Washington on Thursday after the first visit by a
Mexican interior minister to the United States.

He discussed a new $2.5 billion anti-crime programme recently announced by
Zedillo, adding this involved buying state-of-the-art equipment from
nations including the United States.

Sunday's trip will be Clinton's first since he was acquitted by the Senate
on Friday on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice arising from his
affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.