cannabisnews.com: Mexico Slams U.S. Drugs Certification Policy!





Mexico Slams U.S. Drugs Certification Policy!
Posted by FoM on February 14, 1999 at 08:43:30 PT

MEXICO CITY, A top Mexican official criticised the United States on Friday ahead of a visit by President Bill Clinton, saying Washington's practice of certifying allies in the war on drugs was unfair and inhibited cooperation. 
Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Labastida said his country would never accept the annual U.S. practice of deciding whether to certify that Mexico is doing its part in the war on drugs. U.S. certification is required for Mexico to be eligible to receive aid in battling drug trafficking. Clinton has granted Mexico certification in the face of strong opposition from some members of Congress every year since taking office in 1993. "It does not appear fair to us that one country can set about certifying others," Labastida said in an interview with Mexico's Radio Red just two days before Clinton's second official visit to Mexico. "Mexico's position has not changed: Mexico does not accept certification," he added. "(Certification) does not help cooperation in the anti-drug fight." Clinton and his wife, Hillary, arrive in the southern Mexican state of Yucatan for a brief working visit on Sunday. Diplomats from both countries said the certification issue was not a topic scheduled for discussion by Clinton and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. But the two will dedicate a big part of their meeting to drawing up new accords linked to the "Binational Alliance against Drugs," created in May 1997 during Clinton's first visit to Mexico. Other themes include the migration of Mexican workers to the United States, and economic and trade relations. The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Jeffrey Davidow, said this week that certification was not a subject for international negotiation. But anti-drug collaboration would be discussed by the two leaders in Merida, capital of Yucatan state, he said. Labastida returned from Washington on Thursday after the first visit by a Mexican interior minister to the United States. He discussed a new $2.5 billion anti-crime programme recently announced by Zedillo, adding this involved buying state-of-the-art equipment from nations including the United States. Sunday's trip will be Clinton's first since he was acquitted by the Senate on Friday on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice arising from his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. 
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Comment #1 posted by 4mmj on February 15, 1999 at 11:03:57 PT
RE: Clinton's "working visit to Mexico"
I can only hope that they consider talking about the mess that Hurricane Mitch left, rather than talking about the WOD. People other than us obtain a lot of pain medicine thru the channels of Mexican pharmacies. They are more liberal than ours...It would seem that the President is doing this as more of a "act" for the conservative forces that be, rather than a "do or die" situation! As long as he continues the tap dance for our conservative public (the usual suspects) we can expect for him to pretend to be a hard ass. I for one believe that Clinton still inhales, and that is alright by me. Just do not mess with the publics connections...good day...4mmj
http://norml.org
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