U.S. DEFENDS MEXICO'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS

WASHINGTON, - The U.S. State Department vigorously defended on Wednesday
the Mexican government's campaign against illegal drugs, saying cooperation
with the United
States in this field was closer than ever before.

Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Labastida met U.S. Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright earlier on Wednesday for talks and the drug
war was among the subjects they discussed, spokesman James Rubin said.

The visit coincided with the final stages of U.S. decision-making on
whether to recertify Mexico as a partner worthy of receiving U.S. aid
in fighting drug trafficking.

Albright will send the White House a recommendation within two weeks,
Rubin told his daily briefing. Clinton must send a report to Congress
by March 1.

Mexico shares a 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border with the United States
and serves as the conduit for up to two-thirds of the cocaine moving
from South America to U.S. streets.

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Mexico had produced
such dismal results against drug trafficking in the last year that
Congress would try to add it to the blacklist of "decertified"
countries unworthy of aid.

But Rubin said the United States would judge Mexico by the level of
its cooperation with U.S. agencies, not by the success of its efforts
against drugs.

"We all need to bear in mind the sheer magnitude of the drug
trafficking problem ... While we're both devoting huge resources to
combating the problem, the traffickers have billions of dollars at
their disposal and are entirely unprincipled as they ply their elicit
trade," he said.

"The government of Mexico, under the courageous leadership of
President (Ernesto) Zedillo, is strongly committed to countering what
they see as their number one national security threat. And they are
cooperating more closely with the United States at virtually every
level than ever before," he added.

Labastida agreed. "Mexico is launching extraordinary efforts, perhaps
unprecedented efforts to fight against organised crime and drug
trafficking. It's a unique effort in terms of the increase in our
financial resources," he said.

"I think the officials didn't know about all our efforts. Or they only
had partial knowledge. I think it was very important to have this
exchange of information," he added.

Rubin listed seven examples of Mexico's efforts:

- -- Mexico has cooperated behind the scenes on many U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency cases and investigations with dozens of U.S. agents
working side by side with their Mexican counterparts.

- -- It has transferred Mexican prisoners in several cases to appear as
witnesses in U.S. trials.

- -- Cooperation between Mexico's and the FBI's organised crime units
led to "controlled delivery" of drugs from Mexico into the United
States, leading to seizures, investigators' discovery of drug stashes
and the arrest of members of a U.S. distribution network.

- -- It has seized $200 million in assets and money from a state
governor.

- -- The government has announced a plan to spend almost $500 million
extra over three years for new planes, ships, radar, and other law
enforcement equipment.

- -- Mexico has arrested several "kingpins," major figures in drug
trafficking, in recent months.

- -- Mexican authorities are making a "credible effort" to end
government corruption, which tends to help drug trafficking.
"Investigations are undertaken against politically powerful people,
such as former presidential brother-in-law Raoul Salinas, and
convictions are carried out," Rubin said.

"We have to support this long-term trend and work with the Mexican
government, recognizing that there are limitations to what even full
cooperation can achieve," the spokesman added.

But Rubin said his remarks should not be interpreted as evidence of a
decision to renew Mexico's certification.

"It's always a judgment call, and that judgment has not been made," he
said.

On the negative side, cooperation suffered last year when undercover
U.S. agents busted a ring that laundered drug money through Mexico's
major banks. Operation Casablanca annoyed Mexican authorities, who
said they wanted to extradite the U.S. agents who operated in Mexico
without their knowledge.

The incident revealed the distrust U.S. agents have for Mexico and
their reluctance to share intelligence with their counterparts in a
country where corruption is widespread.

Labastida said his talks with Albright and Attorney General Janet Reno
also covered violence on the border, immigration and the treatment of
immigrants in Mexico and the United States.