MEXICAN OFFICIAL SAYS DRUG TRAFFICKING DOWN

Drug trafficking is not as prevalent in Mexico as it was just a few years
ago, a high-ranking member of President Vicente Fox's administration said
Thursday in Albuquerque.

Mexican Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Berruga Filloy, who was in
New Mexico for a speaking engagement, credited the apparent change in
trafficking to improved bilateral cooperation between the United States and
Mexico. He said those efforts need to continue.

"Three years ago, practically any news out of Mexico that appeared daily on
television in the United States had to do with drug trafficking," Berruga
said. "Today, not only is it difficult to find news about drug trafficking
in Mexico, but when there are such reports, they're good news."

Berruga made the remarks at a news conference at the Mexican Consulate in
Albuquerque before he spoke at the national summit of the Hispanic American
Police Command Officers Association on Thursday night.

His comments were reflective of Fox's campaign promise to get tough on the
drug trade.

Over the past two years, the Fox administration has sought, and received,
the suspension of the United States' drug-certification process toward
Mexico. Under certification, the U.S. served as a watchdog over Mexico's
efforts to combat drug trafficking, but the process has been criticized for
straining relations.

Mexico insists the process "impeded cooperation between the United States
and Mexico more than it helped," Berruga said. "We hope it's an issue that
will disappear."

Answering questions in Spanish and English at the news conference, Berruga
also spoke about trade between Mexico and New Mexico, plans to replace an
eliminated cabinet-level department that helped Mexicans living in the
United States and jurisdictional issues. He said improved bilateral
relations in the past two years have helped the "procurement of justice
along the border."

Turning to trade, Berruga said that because there are no major cities along
the New Mexico-Chihuahua border, New Mexico is not as big a trading partner
for Mexico as Texas or California.

He also called for more communication between New Mexico and Mexico.