CLINTON: RECERTIFY MEXICO

Drug-Fighting Efforts Win Albright's Praise

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton recommended Thursday that Mexico be
recertified for its drug-fighting efforts last year, but some of Mexico's
critics in Congress are taking a wait-and-see approach.

In announcing the administration's recommendations, Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright praised Mexico's "strong cooperation"

with the United States to thwart drug trafficking and government corruption
in Mexico.

She also cited the binational drug strategy announced earlier this month
between the United States and its southern neighbor as a sign of increased
cooperation. The underlying theme of the plan is that both countries are
equally responsible for fighting drugs.

For the first time in two years, Colombia was included on the list of 22
countries to be certified, although its overall drug policy remains below
U.S. standards.

Albright commended the work of Colombian police, but the Colombian
government has not given "full political support," she said.

Colombia has failed to get full certification since President Ernesto
Samper was accused of taking campaign money from drug traffickers in 1994.

Congress created the certification process in 1986 to force the executive
branch to scrutinize countries where illegal drugs are produced. As a
result, the administration studies the drug- fighting efforts of dozens of
nations and grades them in an annual report.

The president then recommends one of three options: give full
certification, deny certification or grant a "vital national interests
certification." A decertified country only qualifies for humanitarian and
counter-narcotics aid from the United States. The United States also does
not support international loans for the offending country.

A country that receives "vital national interest certification"

is eligible for all financial assistance despite failing to meet all standards.

Congress has 30 days to respond.

Last year some members of Congress pushed to decertify Mexico after its
drug czar, Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, was arrested for ties to drug
smugglers.

Each year the Mexican government attacks the certification process as an
affront to its sovereignty. To fight the drug war, Mexico says, the United
States must curb its appetite for drugs.

Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo even suggested last year that the United
States pay Mexico for the damage drug trafficking has done to the country.

Some policy experts also question the effectiveness of certification.

"The current certification process should be scrapped," said Bill Spencer,
a director at the Washington Office On Latin America.

"The complex nature of U.S.-Mexican relations make it nearly impossible for
the United States to decertify Mexico, regardless of the policy's impact to
date."

The narcotics report graded 30 countries. Afghanistan, Burma, Iran and
Nigeria were recommended to be decertified. Cambodia, Pakistan and Paraguay
joined Colombia in receiving the "national interest waiver."

The report this year said the corrupting influence of the drug trade is
"significant enough to threaten Mexico's sovereignty and democratic
institutions," but it also noted some significant gains in drug seizures
last year.

Mexican police grabbed 50 percent more cocaine and 75 percent more opium in
the past year than in the previous year. However, heroin seizures dropped
by 68 percent and methamphetamines by 78 percent. Marijuana seizures
remained constant. Arrests dropped by 4 percent.

Most of the estimated $30 billion worth of cocaine consumed in the United
States comes through Mexico, along with Mexican methamphetamines and
marijuana.

Some of Mexico's strongest critics, such as Sen. Jesse Helms, RN.C.,
chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. John Mica,
R-Fla., staunchly oppose certification, as they have in the past.

Other members of Congress who wanted Mexico scratched from last year's list
are taking a more cautious approach. Republican Sen.

Phil Gramm, R-Texas, and Rep. Bill Archer, R-Houston, said they want to
read the report first. Gramm first called to decertify Mexico last year but
eventually supported it. Archer voted to decertify Mexico.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said she supports certification and
Mexico's efforts to fight the drug trade.

Copyright 1998 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau