Pubdate: Thu, 01 Mar 2001 Source: Deseret News (UT) Copyright: 2001 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: 30 East 100 South., P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110 Website: http://www.desnews.com/ Author: Associated Press DRUG-FIGHTING COOPERATION UP TO MEXICO, US DECLARES WASHINGTON - The State Department said Wednesday there are "unprecedented opportunities" for U.S.-Mexican counterdrug cooperation but that success depends on Mexico's ability to combat institutional corruption. In a report on the illicit drug situation worldwide, the State Department said Mexican drug cartels remain powerful despite extensive counternarcotics efforts. "Corruption of the law enforcement sector by drug trafficking organizations remains a serious institutional problem," it said. On the plus side, the report said an aggressive eradication program coupled with drought in the principal drug cultivation areas of Mexico resulted in record low levels of opium poppy production. In addition, the report said, commitments by President Vicente Fox, who took office three months ago, "offer unprecedented opportunities for greater cooperation and mutual assistance with the United States." On Colombia, the world's largest producer of cocaine, the report said the U.S.-backed aerial eradication program was successful last year, treating some 47,000 hectares of coca and 9,000 hectares of opium poppy. A hectare is about 2.5 acres. The report added that the eradication program appeared to be having an impact, noting that coca cultivation growth rates have slowed substantially. Between 1997 and 1999, coca cultivation increased by 19 percent, 28 percent and 20 percent, respectively, but the increase was down to 11 percent last year, the report said. Meanwhile, the State Department was preparing to release its annual "report card" evaluating the drug fighting performance of some two dozen countries. The State Department's top counternarcotics official, Rand Beers, was due to release the evaluations before a congressional hearing. But officials said the White House failed to make final decisions in time for the hearing and that Beers went to Capitol Hill empty-handed. Countries graded as fully cooperative in the counterdrug effort are "certified" for their good behavior, while subpar performers are "decertified" and can face economic penalties. Among countries that have been decertified for years is Afghanistan. But two weeks ago, U.N. drug control officers said the Taliban religious militia had virtually wiped out opium production in Afghanistan - once the world's largest producer - since banning poppy cultivation in July. Heroin trafficking has put Myanmar on the decertified list for many years - and subjected it, with Afghanistan, to economic penalties. In 2000, Cambodia, Haiti, Nigeria and Paraguay also did not meet the criteria for certification, but they were not penalized because all are considered politically important. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake