CLINTON WON'T ADDRESS DRUG ISSUE IN MEXICO-ENVOY

MEXICO CITY, - The U.S. debate over whether Mexico
should be certified as an ally in the war on drugs will not be on the
agenda during President Bill Clinton's visit to Mexico next week,
Washington's envoy to Mexico said.

In a briefing given to local reporters ahead of the Clinton visit and
published in the Mexico City press on Thursday, U.S. Ambassador
Jeffrey Davidow said the U.S. certification process was not open to
international negotiations.

Clinton and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo "are going to talk about
anti-drug trafficking collaboration because that is a theme," Davidow
was quoted as saying. "But I doubt very much that one president or
another will mention the certification issue."

Clinton and his wife Hillary are due to arrive in the Yucatan city of
Merida on Sunday for a visit of less than 24 hours.

Clinton has until March 1 to decide whether to "certify" that
countries that are major drug producers or transshipment

points, including Mexico, are cooperating in the war on drugs. If they
are not certified, they can lose a series of U.S. economic and trade
benefits.

Mexico each year bristles over the certification process, calling it a
one-sided affair that is meaningless given the seemingly insatiable
demand for illegal drugs in the United States.

As if to underline that point, the Mexican Health Ministry on Thursday
said a survey it conducted in 1998 showed that 4.7 percent of Mexicans
between the ages of 12 and 65 years had used marijuana "at some time
in their lives" and 1.45 percent had used cocaine.

It compared the figures with data it said it compiled
from

the United Nations, the Organisation of American States, and a joint
group of senior Mexican and U.S. officials. Those figures

showed that 32.9 percent of U.S. citizens had used marijuana at some
time in their lives, and 10.5 percent had used cocaine.

On Wednesday Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Labastida was in
Washington detailing for U.S. officials a stepped-up Mexican anti-drug
programme that will include X-ray searches for illegal drugs at
boarder checkpoints.

U.S. officials have recently publicly praised Mexico's campaign
against drug trafficking. Clinton is expected to certify Mexico but
the Washington Post on Wednesday reported that the White House is
bracing for a concerted effort in Congress to overturn the
certification.