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DATE=12/16/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243094 TITLE=U-S/MEXICO DRUGS (L-ONLY) BYLINE=BILL RODGERS DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TOP U-S AND MEXICAN OFFICIALS HAVE REAFFIRMED THEIR DETERMINATION TO COMBAT DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING ACROSS THEIR COMMON BORDER. THE PLEDGE CAME WEDNESDAY, AT THE CONCLUSION OF TWO DAYS OF BILATERAL TALKS ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT HAS SOMETIMES CAUSED FRICTION BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS REPORTS. TEXT: THIS WEEK'S CONFERENCE MARKED THE SIXTH TIME TOP U-S AND MEXICAN OFFICIALS HAVE MET TO DISCUSS THE DRUG PROBLEM UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE "HIGH-LEVEL CONTACT GROUP FOR DRUG CONTROL", WHICH WAS CREATED IN 1996. VISITING MEXICAN FOREIGN RELATIONS SECRETARY ROSARIO GREEN TOLD REPORTERS WEDNESDAY THE TWO DAYS OF TALKS WERE PRODUCTIVE, AND CHARACTERIZED BY WHAT SHE CALLED "GOOD WILL AND GOOD FAITH". FOR HIS PART, NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS BOTH SIDES CAME AWAY WITH A RENEWED DETERMINATION TO COMBAT DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING. /// MCCAFFREY ACT /// BOTH SIDES AGREE THAT WE WILL BE RESOLUTE IN OUR DETERMINATION AND NOT FORGET THAT WE HAVE A COMMON ENEMY -- THE ENEMIES ARE INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKERS OPERATING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER AND IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY WHO BRING SUCH DEVASTATING HARM TO FAMILIES, THE WORKPLACE AND OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. // OPT // SO OUR OWN PROMISE IS IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE: AMERICAN CITIZEN OR MEXICAN, NIGERIAN, COLOMBIAN, DOMINICAN, RUSSIAN -- I THINK BOTH THESE DELEGATIONS AGREE WE WILL PURSUE THESE PEOPLE WHEREVER WE FIND THEM AND TRY AND LOCK THEM UP. // END OPT // /// END ACT /// MR. MCCAFFREY'S COMMENTS EMPHASIZING UNITY COME IN THE WAKE OF CONTINUING CRITICISM BY MEXICO OF A U-S DRUG STING EARLIER THIS YEAR, IN WHICH SCORES OF MEXICAN BANKERS WERE LURED TO THE UNITED STATES AND ARRESTED ON MONEY-LAUNDERING CHARGES. MEXICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL JORGE MADRAZO, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS WEEK'S CONFERENCE, SAID ON TUESDAY THAT THE OPERATION -- KNOWN AS "CASABLANCA" -- HAD SEVERELY STRAINED JOINT U-S - MEXICAN ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS BECAUSE IT VIOLATED MEXICAN SOVEREIGNTY. BUT ON WEDNESDAY, MR. MADRAZO PLAYED DOWN ANY DIFFERENCES -- SAYING BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE SUCH AN INCIDENT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. /// OPT MADRAZO SPANISH ACT /// /// REST OPT /// ON ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE, MEXICAN FOREIGN SECRETARY GREEN SAID THE PURPOSE OF THIS VISIT WAS NOT TO LOBBY CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF MEXICAN DRUG CERTIFICATION. EACH YEAR, THE U-S GOVERNMENT TELLS CONGRESS WHICH COUNTRIES IT BELIEVES ARE FULLY COOPERATING WITH U-S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS. IN THE PAST, MANY U-S LAWMAKERS HAVE QUESTIONED WHETHER MEXICO SHOULD BE CERTIFIED, BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF DRUG-RELATED CORRUPTION IN THAT NATION. SUCH CRITICISM IS EXPECTED AGAIN EARLY NEXT YEAR WHEN THE CERTIFICATION COMES UP AGAIN. WHILE THE MEXICAN OFFICIALS MET WEDNESDAY WITH SOME U-S LAWMAKERS, FOREIGN SECRETARY GREEN TOLD REPORTERS THE DELEGATION DID NOT COME TO WASHINGTON TO JUDGE OR BE JUDGED. (SIGNED) NEB/WFR/WTW 16-Dec-98 4:58 PM EST (2158 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .