Pubdate: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 Source: United Press International Copyright: 1999 United Press International MEXICO, COLOMBIA DRUG EFFORTS APPROVED WASHINGTON, - President Clinton has decided to fully certify Mexico's and Colombia's cooperation with American anti-drug efforts, a ruling that leaves financial assistance to Washington's southern neighbors intact. Clinton found problems with Colombia's counter-narcotics program, but, acting on the recommendation of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, certified that Bogota was fully cooperating with the war on drugs. Clinton's decision corresponds with the election just less than a year ago of Colombian President Andres Pastrana, whose predecessor, Ernesto Samper, was alleged to have accepted millions of dollars from the Colombian narcotics cartels. Attorney General Janet Reno said the Clinton administration has received good cooperation from Colombia, which has not received the presidential certification in four years. ``From a law enforcement perspective, we are gratified by the early signs of cooperation from Colombia,'' Reno told reporters. Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said decertification of Mexico would have a ``devastating impact'' on President Ernesto Zedillo's willingness to cooperate on counter-narcotics programs. ``We believe it will only be possible to stem the growing power of major drug trafficking organizations if the United States and Mexico cooperate,'' the U.S. drug czar said at the joint news conference. ``Certification will help nurture a positive working relationship with Mexico that is essential as we continue to confront the shared threat of international drug trafficking.'' However, Mexican legislators criticized the certification as ``arbitrary.'' Opposing Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) Senator Rosalbina Garavito, who supports legalizing drugs to eradicate illegal trafficking, called the certification process a ``hypocritical procedure.'' The senator said, ``U.S. intelligence organizations know more than we do about the penetration of drug trafficking in Mexico,'' and is using that information as ``blackmail that makes the country's sovereignty vulnerable.'' Conservative National Action Party (PAN) Maria Elena Alvarez said the certification process should be abolished. And PRD deputy Carlos Heredia alleged that ``the American certification extends far beyond drug trafficking war.'' Afghanistan and Burma were the only major drug-producing or drug- transiting nations on which Clinton imposed the full sanctions. Iran, which last year was penalized on the drug front by Washington, was dropped from the entire process since it no longer has enough acreage under cultivation for narcotics to qualify as a major drug-producing nation. Clinton applied the full penalties last year to Nigeria, where a dramatic political transformation has begun to unfold since the death of dictator Gen. Sani Abacha. Reno said the sanctions on Nigeria were waived this year because the Clinton administration is seeing the ``beginning of cooperation'' from the transitional government in Abuja. The 1998 Foreign Assistance Act requires the secretary of state to provide the president with annual recommendations on which major drug- producing or drug-transiting nations are cooperating with U.S. counter-narcotics efforts. Most forms of assistance are suspended for nations found uncooperative, although the president can overrule the secretary of state on national security grounds, and the United States must vote against financing from such multilateral lenders as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Clinton gave full certification to Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, China, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam. Clinton waived the sanctions on national security grounds against Cambodia, Haiti, Nigeria and Paraguay. - --- MAP posted-by: Rich O'Grady