McCaffrey Lauds Mexican Army

WASHINGTON (AP) The antidrug strategy being molded by Mexico and the
United States is making considerable progress, the Clinton administration's
drug policy chief says.

Barry McCaffrey praised the Mexican armed forces as "the most effective
organization on the face of the earth in drug eradication" after meeting
Friday with Mexican Foreign Minister Angel Gurria, Attorney General Jorge
Madrazo and other highlevel officials from both countries.

The meeting was the latest in a string of similar gatherings over nearly
two years to review antidrug efforts.

"We talked about drug eradication and ... how the two nations are doing in
trying to eradicate marijuana on both sides of the border and opium poppies
in Mexico," McCaffrey said at a news conference following the meeting.

"I think the Mexican armed forces have been the most effective organization
on the face of the earth in drug eradication during the past year," he said.

Gurria said officials covered the "usual working points in the agenda,"
which include drug interception and eradication, money laundering and
fighting organized crime.

McCaffrey said that after nearly two years of meetings, there are few areas
of conflicts or disagreements between the two countries, but "we clearly
have enormous work yet to do."

"We are trying to ensure that money laundering is confronted in the
international community, and that involves some extremely sophisticated
actions on the part of both the U.S. Department of Treasury" and Mexican
police as well as the justice departments of both nations, he said.