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From: C-upi@clari.net (UPI)
Newsgroups: clari.world.americas.mexico,clari.usa.gov.white_house,clari.world.americas.meso
Subject: Clintons, lawmakers headed for Mexico
Keywords: US government, US federal, international, non-usa government,
	us border areas, economy, non-usa economy
Organization: Copyright 1999 by United Press International (via ClariNet)
Message-ID: <Uclinton-mexicoURIfi_9FE@clari.net>
Lines: 49
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 13:22:02 PST
Location: Latin America
ACategory: washington
Slugword: clinton-mexico
Threadword: clinton
Priority: regular
Format: regular
Approved: e.news@clari.net
Note: (NOTE: clintons depart; scheduled to arrive merida, mexico, 6 p.m.
 local, 7 p.m. EST; pvs slugged mexico-us)
 (UPI Focus)
Xref: news.cs.columbia.edu clari.world.americas.mexico:11728 clari.usa.gov.white_house:32760 clari.world.americas.meso:11667

  	  				 
	WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- President Clinton is headed to Mexico for  
his semiannual consultation with his Mexican counterpart, Ernesto 
Zedillo, with economic agreements, border matters and Mexico's effort to 
stop the illegal drug trade on the agenda. 
	Clinton, his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and two dozen lawmakers  
will spend tonight and Monday with Zedillo and other Mexican lawmakers 
in the ancient city of Merida. Clinton originally planned the visit as 
part of a weeklong tour of Central America but postponed all but the 
Mexico stop until March to await his acquittal in the impeachment trial. 
	The Clintons departed the White House without comment and were  
expected to arrive in the Yucatan peninsula early this evening. They are 
to dine with Zedillo and his wife later. 
	U.S. officials anticipate no major new agreements between Clinton and  
Zedillo, although they predicted a series of deal-signings in such areas 
as trade, environmental protection, immigration, border safety and 
health care. 
	Clinton's visit also comes days before he is due to make his annual  
March 1 decision on whether to add Mexico to the small list of countries 
deemed to be not cooperating in the fight against drugs. 
	The U.S. president is expected to renew his certification of Mexico's  
drug-fighting efforts, and face criticism from lawmakers who disagree 
and Mexicans offended by the process. 
	Clinton was joined on the trip by 24 members of Congress, including  
two senators and four Republicans. 
	The two presidents plan to meet Monday for several hours at a  
historic hotel outside of Merida, both by themselves and later with 
Cabinet-level advisers, then return to Merida to sign a joint 
declaration. 
	National security adviser Sandy Berger, who is traveling with the  
president, said Clinton will devote the visit to making ``steady, 
practical progress across the range of common interests that we have 
with Mexico.'' 
	He said the agenda is topped by economic and trade matters, crediting  
the 5-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement between the United 
States, Canada and Mexico with helping the three countries weather the 
worldwide financial crisis. 
	Berger said Clinton and an entourage of top advisers planned to  
discuss other matters, as well, including strengthening cross-border 
cooperation against trafficking in human beings, improving methods for 
handling complaints of border violence and battling a new strain of 
drug-resistant tuberculosis along the border, among others. 
	Officials said the U.S.-Mexico talks also will be aimed at reaching  
agreements in areas that include global warming, environmental 
protection provisions under NAFTA, expanding relief efforts for Central 
American victims of Hurricane Mitch, increasing cooperation against 
forest fires, and better protecting endangered species. 
  	   	

