Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2000
Source: Ventura County Star (CA)
Copyright: 2000, Ventura County Star
Contact:  http://www.staronline.com/

DRUG IDEA HAS MERIT

While it has much to recommend it, Vicente Fox's proposed open border between Mexico and the United States is complicated, raises a number of difficult questions and is unlikely to become a reality any time soon.

But another of his ideas -- ending the U.S. drug certification program -- is right on target and should win the support of everyone the Mexican president-elect visits with on his U.S. trip.

Under this statutory program, the United States can restrict trade and take other punitive action if our government believes that foreign governments are failing to do enough to curtail the smuggling of drugs.

To see how Mexico feels about the annual review, imagine how the United States would feel if Mexico held the upper hand and announced a policy stating that, if the United States did not do more to stem the demand for drugs among its population, Mexico would exact sanctions.

Mr. Fox -- whose election last month marked the emergence of Mexico as a true democracy -- deserves support from a U.S. government that has every reason to want him to succeed.

To build a strong, mature relationship with a democratically invigorated Mexico, the United States must treat that land and its representatives with more respect than in the past.
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