U.S., Mexico in Wide-Ranging Talks U.S., Mexico in Wide-Ranging Talks By John Rice Associated Press Writer Thursday, June 3, 1999; 11:55 p.m. EDT MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexican officials expressed anger over U.S. press reports raising questions of drug links to Mexican politicians on Thursday, the eve of a key meeting between two countries. But the session to deal with a range of issues will go ahead Friday without Secretary of State Madeline Albright, who was forced to cancel amid developments in Kosovo. Mexican officials insisted that the meeting would not be affected by reports this week in The Washington Post and The New York Times that some U.S. officials suspected two prominent Mexican politicians had possible drug trafficking links. Mexico's foreign secretary Rosario Green spoke at length on the two reports, saying they were unfounded and several times suggesting they might be linked to a plot by conservative enemies of Mexico. White House drug czar Barry McCaffrey reacted angrily to U.S. and Mexican press reports questioning possible links between prominent Mexican politicians and drug traffickers. ``I'm a little bit outraged at the unprofessionalism of the whole thing,'' McCaffrey said, adding that U.S. and Mexican officials continued to share intelligence documents on drugtrafficking ``on a sensible, need-to-know basis.'' He said investigative files like the ones cited in the press reports are often compiled on honest officials as well as criminals. He also praised Mexico's anti-drug efforts. ``The most effective heroin eradication programs in the world right now are in Pakistan, Thailand and Mexico,'' he told reporters after arriving in Mexico City. Green said Wednesday that ``important advances'' were expected from the meeting, though she gave few specifics. No major agreements were expected on the two most controversial issues between the two nations: drugs and immigration. But the attorneys general and anti-drug chiefs for both countries were due to meet here Friday morning to discuss drug issues. Expected agreements included cooperation on firefighting and toxic spills along the border, as well as details for opening a new bridge between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico. Issues such as trucking, fiber-optic cabling and extradition were among perhaps 100 subjects under discussion, Davidow said. (c) Copyright 1999 The Associated Press ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-06.04.99-09:49:30-17471