Скачать или смотреть USA: MEXICO REACTS ANGRILY TO US DECISION ON ANTI DRUGS EFFORTS UPDATE

(14 Mar 1997) English/Nat

Mexico has reacted angrily to America's decision Thursday to give it 90 days to improve its anti-drug efforts or face possible sanctions.

Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo remained defiant in the face of U-S demands to open his country's borders to American drug agents and said he would allow no intrusions on Mexican sovereignty.

But frustrated with losses in the war on drugs, the House of Representatives voted in favour of the three-month provision.

The 90-day provision passed after the Senate immediately rejected President Clinton's efforts to certify Mexico as being \"fully cooperative\" in the war against drugs.

Politicians in Washington voted Thursday to give Mexico 90 days to fully cooperate in the fight against the drug barons or lose its certification.

UPSOUND: (English)
\"The yeas are 251, the nays 175, the resolution is agreed to and passed and without objection. The motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.\"

The 251-175 vote came on a bill that originally called for immediate decertification - a proposition that is losing ground in the Senate.

Even if the resolution wins Senate approval, the House margin was far short of the two- thirds required to override an expected presidential veto.

Speaking before the vote, House Speaker Newt Gingrich supported the amendment for the 90 day extension.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"This is an effort on our part to help the people of Mexico, to help the people of Colombia and to help the American people. \"
SUPER CAPTION: New Gingrich, Speaker of the U-S House of Representatives

Decertification normally means a cutoff of aid and a U-S vote against loans to errant countries in the World Bank.

The bill's passage was quickly criticised by Mexico as unhelpful in the fight against drugs.

And the Mexican ambassador, Jesus Silva Herzog, said penalising Mexico was not the way to fight drug trafficking.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"I don't really think what the Speaker had in mind when he made the statement. I think Mexico will be better off if it will not receive this type of slap on the face, but a renewal in the spirit of cooperation between our two countries.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Jesus Silva Herzog, Mexico's Ambassador to the United States of America

The final vote was closer than the overwhelming defeat the Clinton administration expected.

The vast majority of Democrats turned against it because it sharply criticised Clinton's anti-drug policies.

Representative Tom Lantos, a Democrat from California, called the House bill an insult to Mexico and to Clinton.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Passing this ill-conceived legislation will make the Mexican government less likely to cooperate with us and it will make the Mexican people justifiably outraged. There are far too many courageous Mexican policemen, soldiers, judges, journalists, government officials who have lost their lives in the fight against the drug lords.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Tom Lantos, Democrat, California

Supporter of the original bill, Lee Hamilton, Democrat - Indiana, said the 90-day provision would put Mexican officials in a bind.

He said any effort to meet the congressionally imposed goals would be viewed as giving up on its sovereignty ahead of the July 6 midterm election in Mexico.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Lee Hamilton, Democrat, Indiana

Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo reacted angrily to the vote and his representative in Washington said he believed the bill would not have far-reaching consequences.

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