U.S., MEXICAN LAWMAKERS LET OFF STEAM

MORELIA, Mexico - They still sipped tequila, ate great food, exchanged
gifts and listened to mariachi bands. But at this year's annual meeting of
U.S. and Mexican lawmakers - traditionally a most congenial affair -
everyone forgot to say smile and say "cheese."

Not that it broke down into the rancorous, insult-hurling clash that most
people were expecting, given the recent U.S. money-laundering sting against
Mexican banks and the subsequent threats by top Mexican officials to
prosecute U.S. Customs agents and expel Drug Enforcement Administration
agents from the country.

But during one of the most turbulent and contentious times in recent
U.S.-Mexican relations, none of the 14 American or 20 Mexican legislators
who gathered in this quaint Spanish colonial town for their 37th
get-together were in any mood to paper over their many differences, as in
years past.

"The tone of the discussion was tense - repeatedly," said Del. Carlos
Heredia Zubieta of the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). "It
was fruitful - at least to vent our the anger."

"These tend to be back-slapping, cocktail type of sessions," said Rep.
Brian Bilbray, R-Calif. "This time, there was some letting-off of steam. .
. . If there's not going to be some back-and-forth, why bother?"

During seven hours of closed-door meetings on Saturday, legislators
discussed some of the most troublesome aspects of U.S.-Mexican relations,
including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, trade and environmental
issues, and what Mexico sees as U.S. infringements on its sovereignty.

But there was no explicit discussion of the fundamental, underlying
problems in U.S.-Mexican affairs: a deep-seated lack of trust and suspicion
about the other side's motives.

The most recent flash point in relations between the two nations was a
three-year U.S. Customs investigation called Casablanca in which three top
Mexican banks and 26 Mexican bankers were indicted on money-laundering
charges. Some of the investigation was conducted by U.S. agents in Mexico
without the knowledge or permission of the government here, which
infuriated top Mexican officials. Not only did it underscore a lack of
trust, top Mexican officials said, but it also violated their national
sovereignty.

Lawmakers from both countries said they discussed the incident at length,
and while it opened minds to the other side's views, no minds were changed.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski