[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 19 (Monday, May 12, 1997)]
[Pages 654-662]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With President Zedillo in Mexico City

May 6, 1997

    President Zedillo. President Clinton, ladies and gentlemen from the 
media from the United States and from Mexico, once again I would like to 
express the satisfaction of my government and the people of Mexico for 
the visit of President Clinton. We are truly very pleased that President 
Clinton is beginning his tour here in Latin America, starting in Mexico. 
We are also especially pleased by the results of the work of the Mexico-
U.S. Binational Commission and by the agreement that will be 
materialized today.
    President Clinton and I have heard the report of the trade relations 
between Mexico and the United States. It is very encouraging that from 
the beginning of NAFTA, our trade has increased over 60 percent and now 
accounts for close to 150 billion U.S. dollars per year. And this 
represents, above all, more and improved economic opportunities and more 
and improved jobs for Mexicans as well as for U.S. citizens.
    This is very encouraging in intensifying our efforts in order to 
reach agreements in the fields that are still pending. This effort has 
also encouraged us to reaffirm the commitment to NAFTA and to work so 
that at the summit meeting in Chile next year we will

[[Page 655]]

provide an important impulse to a creation of free trade in the American 
Continent.
    The Mexican Government is very pleased with the agreements we have 
reached in order to promote educational, scientific, and cultural 
exchanges, as well as to protect the environment and nature, 
particularly along the border area, our common border. These agreements 
prove that we are united by interest in the conditions in which our 
communities live, the conditions of the health and the safety of the 
families.
    We are particularly satisfied that President Clinton and I will be 
signing the Declaration of the Mexican-U.S. Alliance Against Drugs. Our 
alliance will be based on mutual trust and on our commitment as heads of 
state that the collaboration between our countries will progress in 
keeping with fundamental principles. These principles include the 
absolute respect of sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction of Mexico 
and of the United States; shared responsibility in facing the problem of 
illegal drugs and related crimes such as money laundering and weapons 
trafficking; a comprehensive fight against drugs, attaching the same 
priority to all aspects of the problem; balance and reciprocity in 
actions, programs, and guidelines to take on the threat of drugs in both 
countries; and effective law enforcement in both nations.
    Based on these principles and based on the joint assessments we 
received today--President Clinton and I both received this--Mexico and 
the United States now has a shared vision of the magnitude of the 
problem, and we share the will to combat the problem with all of the 
resources within our reach.
    The declaration we will be signing contains specific objectives. We 
have given instructions to our Governments to prepare a common strategy 
in order to follow through with the objectives and to prepare plans for 
reciprocal implementation. A particularly pleasing aspect is that the 
declaration includes the intention to work together, jointly, in order 
to have a hemispheric agreement against illegal trafficking of weapons, 
and also an agreement for the extraordinary U.N. assembly on drugs next 
year.
    The Mexican Government appreciates the sensitivity of President 
Clinton in terms of the Mexicans' rights and the dignity of Mexicans in 
his country. Thus, it is very pleasing that today we will also sign a 
joint declaration on migration. For the past 2 years, our Governments 
have made important progress in dealing bilaterally with issues such as 
consular protection and the human rights of migrants as well as the 
efforts to combat trafficking in human beings. Today we have reaffirmed 
the commitment of both Governments to strengthen bilateral cooperation 
in order to deal with the migration phenomenon.
    We have agreed to base our work on three basic principles: One, the 
sovereign right of every nation to apply its migration laws however it 
deems most appropriate for its national interests, always in keeping 
with international law and in a spirit of bilateral cooperation; the 
second principle is that of absolute compliance with the objectives of 
the memorandum of understanding on consular protection of Mexicans in 
the United States, which was signed almost one year ago, particularly in 
the respect of human rights of migrants; and the third principle is to 
deal with the migration phenomenon in a comprehensive view which is 
mutually beneficial and will make it possible to conserve family unity 
and to protect the dignity of human beings.
    Based on these principles, this establishes the commitments of our 
Government to protect the rights of migrants and to promote the 
procurement of justice for migrants as well as the respect of due legal 
process in the application or the enforcement of migration laws. There 
is also a shared commitment to ensure safe repatriation and orderly 
repatriation of migrants and apply new measures to reduce violence along 
the border and to combat trafficking in human beings and falsification 
of documents.
    In order to ensure a comprehensive view on migration, we will 
examine scientific analysis which will be the result of binational 
cooperation. This reflects the cooperation and the good will of our 
Governments to create a border whose communities are joined by 
friendship and cooperation, not by conflict. We want appropriate, just, 
and harmonious development. The visit of President Clinton and the 
agreements signed and to be signed

[[Page 656]]

are a firm step in our relationship of friendship, respect, and 
cooperation which will benefit both Mexico and the United States.
    Once again I would like to thank President Clinton for his visit and 
also ask him to address you at this time, before we take the questions 
from our friends from the media.
    President Clinton. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. To all the 
members of the Mexican Government here and our hosts, the members of the 
American delegation, the members of the Cabinet administration, and the 
Members of Congress. This is my first trip to Mexico as President, my 
fifth occasion to be in your country in my lifetime, and I'm very 
pleased to be back. As you know, I had planned to be here a month ago, 
but I literally got a bad break and couldn't come. So I'm very happy 
that we're able to consummate this trip today.
    As President Zedillo has said just a short while ago, we heard the 
reports of the United States-Mexico Binational Commission, a remarkable 
Cabinet-level group that oversees the day to day interaction of our 
Governments. The presentations demonstrate vividly the remarkable depth 
and breadth of our relationship. No two countries are working together 
on more important issues, with a more direct effect on the lives of 
their people than Mexico and the United States.
    The reports demonstrate that for the most part, we do agree on the 
opportunities and the problems before us, and in a few moments the 
President and I will sign joint declarations on drugs and migration. 
They demonstrate that, more than in the past, we also agree on solutions 
and that we are prepared to carry forward our cooperation to a higher 
level.
    We share more than a 2,000-mile border and, more importantly, we 
also share a vision of what the border should be in the 21st century: a 
safe, clean, efficient model of prosperity and cooperation joining our 
people, not a barrier that divides them.
    The joint declaration on migration makes clear that we both see our 
border as a dynamic living space with complex problems, to be sure, and 
real opportunities, both of which require a comprehensive approach. The 
declaration commits both our Governments to improve how we manage the 
border. We will ensure that the human rights of all migrants are 
respected, regardless of their status; expand public information 
campaigns warning migrants of dangerous crossings; reduce violence and 
criminality at the border; and combat the terrible practice of alien 
smuggling.
    The issue of immigration raises passions on both sides of our 
border. I'm proud of our tradition of generous legal immigration. I will 
do everything I can to preserve it. I deeply believe that America's 
diversity is our greatest source of strength for the future. There is no 
more powerful proof of that than the remarkable contributions Mexican 
Americans have made to our country in every walk of life and to my 
administration.
    But to maintain safe and orderly immigration and to do justice by 
the hundreds of thousands of people who legally immigrate to the United 
States every year, we must take effective action to stop illegal 
immigration. Our new immigration law will help us to do that. In 
applying the law and in our overall approach to immigration, we must 
balance control with common sense and compassion.
    I am very pleased that the balanced budget agreement I reached with 
our Congress last week restores certain benefits to some legal 
immigrants. I will continue to work with Congress to correct some 
aspects of the immigration law. We will ensure respect for human rights 
and seek to apply the law humanely, with special concern for children 
and for families. There will be no mass deportations and no 
discrimination. But I am also determined to help our southern neighbors 
make the most of their rich economic and social potential, because, 
ultimately, that's the best way to give people the confidence they need 
to make their futures at home.
    President Zedillo and I will also sign a joint alliance against 
drugs. With this alliance, we recognize the dangers we both face, the 
responsibilities we both share. Illegal narcotics are not simply a 
Mexican problem--far from it--but neither are they simply an American 
problem. They are our common problem, and we must find a common 
solution.
    The alliance takes our already unprecedented cooperation to a new 
level. It respects the laws and sovereignty of our countries, while 
committing us to 15 concrete goals, to

[[Page 657]]

put in place a shared strategy by the end of this year. We've agreed to 
intensify our work on money-laundering investigations, to increase our 
cooperation on extraditions, to facilitate trials on both sides of the 
border, to apply profits seized from drug traffickers directly to law 
enforcement purposes, and to step up our fight against gun-running, 
including a hemispheric agreement outlawing the trafficking in illegal 
arms.
    These two declarations prove that we can work through our problems 
in ways that work for both of us. But this relationship is about far 
more than resolving our problems. It's about seizing the real 
opportunities to make our people more prosperous and more secure on the 
edge of a new century. That's what we did with NAFTA, which has helped 
to raise our exports to Mexico to an all-time high and helped Mexico to 
bounce back from a wrenching recession that caused great hardship to 
people here.
    Now, as President Zedillo and I agreed, we must push forward on 
NAFTA's promise to help us clean up the environment, especially along 
the border, and to improve working conditions and safeguard worker 
rights on both sides of the border.
    I'm especially pleased with the new steps we have taken to protect 
the environment and to promote education. The United States will provide 
$170 million in Environmental Protection Agency funds for border water 
projects. We will work with Mexico to attract private sector investments 
in pollution prevention. We will work to preserve endangered species and 
natural forests.
    We have also agreed to expand the Fulbright scholarship program, a 
favorite one of mine because it was named for my mentor and one of the 
most outstanding people ever to come from my home State. This will 
double the number of Fulbright scholars for Mexicans studying in the 
United States, with a special focus on science and technology.
    Our partnership with Mexico for opportunity, security, and 
prosperity is fundamental to the future of both our peoples. Today we 
have strengthened that partnership. Our prospects for shaping that 
future for the children are brighter, and I feel very, very good about 
what we have done and quite optimistic about what we will do in the days 
and years ahead.
    Thank you, Mr. President.

[At this point, President Clinton and President Zedillo signed the Joint 
Statement on Migration Adopted by the President of the United States and 
the President of Mexico and the Declaration of Mexican and United States 
Alliance Against Drugs.]

Upcoming Elections in Mexico

    Q. I would like to address my question to President Clinton. 
President Clinton, are you concerned by the elections which will take 
place here in Mexico next June, and particularly, can you imagine a 
Congress in Mexico without a pre-majority?
    President Clinton. I'm actually more concerned about the American 
Congress. [Laughter] Let me say, I applaud the movement toward political 
reform and electoral reform in Mexico just as I have applauded and 
supported the movement toward economic reform.
    The judgments in the election are for the Mexican people to make and 
for all the rest of us who support democracy and freedom and human 
rights to support. I welcome the fact that so many observers have been 
invited here to watch it take place, and I respect President Zedillo for 
supporting this process.

Mexico's Social Policies

    Q. President Zedillo and President Clinton, a U.N. report out last 
month, just last month, said that the extensive focus on free-market 
economic reforms by themselves have failed to lift much of Latin 
America, including Mexico, out of poverty--the population out of 
poverty--and it suggests that more attention needs to be spent on social 
spending as at least a complementary action.
    I'm wondering if you agree with that assessment, if you feel that 
maybe your extensive focus on free-market reforms need to be balanced in 
any degree, and if you can offer any kind of prediction on how many 
years into the future it will be before the countries of Latin America 
and Mexico specifically reach the level of society-wide economic 
prosperity, that issues that you've been dealing with such as 
immigration and drug-

[[Page 658]]

trafficking largely dry up on their own or begin to dry up on their own.
    Thank you.
    President Zedillo. Thank you very much. I will let others talk about 
the situation of other sister nations in Latin America, and I'll refer 
to the case of Mexico. One of the reasons why we Mexicans have been 
reinforcing our economic structure--and this has taken place for just 
over 10 years--is precisely being able to have a material base which 
arises from vigorous and sustained economic growth so as to be able to 
support more amitious social policies which will make it possible to 
more effectively combat poverty and inequality, which are the problems 
that our nation is suffering from.
    I think it's very important to underscore the fact that many social 
problems, many of the problems of inequality and poverty in Mexico 
today--and I think that there are other countries of Latin America 
suffering them as well--their basic source is found in government 
policies which in past decades stressed government control over economic 
processes too much. The long period of stagnation in our economy cannot 
be tied to, nor should it be tied in any way, to the processes of 
economic liberalization--quite the contrary.
    I think that thanks to these policies of opening up towards foreign 
countries and the internal liberalization of our economies, and also 
adjusting the size of the Mexican Government as far as the control of 
the economy is concerned means that we will now be able to open up a 
period of sustained growth, dynamic growth, which will make it possible 
for us to expand the reach, the objectives, the sense, and the results 
of our social policies.

Extradition Treaty

    Q. President Clinton, are you familiar with a list of Mexicans that 
are extraditable, and would you be willing to review the extradition 
treaty?
    President Zedillo, does this new relationship imply a new concept of 
sovereignty?
    President Clinton. Well, let me say that we have enjoyed an 
unprecedented amount of cooperation related to common criminal and drug 
problems in a way designed to strengthen our sovereignty, not to 
undermine it. So we have worked with Mexico in grievous cases on 
extraditions, and I appreciate that, just as we are trying to work with 
Mexico in providing helicopters to support eradication, or computer 
technology to help Mexico work with us on money laundering or working on 
the preventive aspects of the narcotics problem. So I believe that 
extradition partnerships that are fair, equal, and balanced reinforce a 
nation's sovereignty; they don't weaken it. And it's an important part 
of our long-term strategy to work together on the drug issue.
    Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

Whitewater

    Q. Mr. President, I'd like to ask you about a question back in the 
United States. The Whitewater prosecutors assert that Mrs. Clinton's 
testimony on several issues has changed over time or differs from that 
of other witnesses. Do you have any idea of what the discrepancies might 
be? And what does this suggest to you about the course of the 
investigation? Is it becoming more troublesome for Mrs. Clinton?
    President Clinton. No and no.
    Q. Why is that, sir?
    President Clinton. Well, you've been watching it for years. If you 
don't know, I can't help you.

NAFTA

    Q. President, 4 years after NAFTA was signed, are the terms fully 
enforced, or do you believe that it is necessary to carry out any 
changes, amendments, or are some of the clauses obsolete?
    Thank you.
    President Zedillo. I believe that the North American Free Trade 
Agreement has performed very clearly in keeping with the objectives that 
the three countries participating in the agreement had decided on. And 
proof of this are the figures of the three countries, the trade figures 
of the three countries. Just a moment ago I mentioned that in bilateral 
trade alone between the United States and Mexico during NAFTA trade has 
grown over 60 percent; that is, almost close to 70 percent. And that is 
despite the fact

[[Page 659]]

that in 1995 in our country we had an economic recession.
    Thus, I believe that the terms under which NAFTA was negotiated were 
very good terms. And I think that within the agreement we have very 
clear and transparent mechanisms to deal with any kind of dispute, and I 
believe that at this time there is no significant reason from the 
Mexican perspective to review the contents of NAFTA.
    If you'll allow me, because just a moment ago one question went 
unanswered, the second part of--[inaudible]--question. I would merely 
like to say that under no circumstances does this new understanding 
based on respect between Mexico and the United States--in no way does it 
mean that the concept of sovereignty has changed; on the contrary. It is 
very pleasing for me as a President and as a representative of the 
people of Mexico that in a document which we just signed, that President 
Clinton and I just signed, respecting this alliance against drugs, the 
first principle which we mutually recognize is--and I will read it--is 
``the absolute respect for the sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction 
of both Mexico and the United States of America.''

Wreath Laying at the Tomb of Mexican Cadets and Whitewater

    Q. Mr. President, as has been discussed a great deal in the last 2 
days, the two nations have a long history together and sensitivities 
have grown up as a result of involvement with one another, including 
involvement during war. Later today, you will be laying a wreath at the 
tomb of Mexican cadets who were actually boys at the time that they died 
at the hands of American troops. This is one of those issues in which 
the Mexicans have been very sensitive. These boys are heroes and are 
seen basically as children who died in war.
    My question is, are you going there and laying that wreath in any 
way as a gesture of apology or atonement for action by the U.S. 
military?
    President Clinton. I'm going there as a gesture of respect, not only 
respect for their lives but respect for the patriotism and the integrity 
of the people who have served this country.
    President Truman went there as well when he was here, and it's my 
understanding that no one has gone since. But I think other heads of 
states regularly go there, and I do not believe the President of the 
United States should decline to go because of what happened between our 
two countries a long time ago.
    You know, we are trying to heal the wounds of war with nations with 
whom we fought even more recently. I'm sending Pete Peterson, who was a 
prisoner of war in Vietnam for over 6 years, to Vietnam as the new 
Ambassador. It seems to me that if the United States wants to lead the 
world in the direction we say we do, then it is imperative for us to 
respect our friends and neighbors especially, in countries around the 
world, and honor their symbols of national honor. And I'm proud to be 
able to do this.
    Let me just say, since the President clarified an answer he gave, 
let me say to Mr. Hunt I did not mean to be flippant. What I meant to 
say was I know of no factual discrepancy, period. I am unaware of one. 
But if you took the four of you sitting there together on the front row 
and got you all together again 13 to 19 years later and asked you 
precisely what happened on this day, you might have slightly different 
memories. I have no idea that there is any such discrepancy, but I have 
no reason to be concerned about it whatever. We've both done our best to 
answer all the questions that were asked of us, and already tens of 
millions of dollars have been spent on this, and I am just perfectly 
comfortable with where we are.

Immigration Law

    Q. President Clinton, the question is regarding what you just 
mentioned, that is that you would be working with your Congress on some 
aspects of the migration law. What aspects would these be, and how would 
they benefit our citizens in the United States?
    President Clinton. Well, let me just say, first of all, we've 
cleared a big hurdle, I think, in the budget agreement, dealing with the 
eligibility of legal immigrants for public assistance when, through no 
fault of their own, they're put into some distress. And then there are a 
number of other issues which have been raised about the administration 
of

[[Page 660]]

this law and the extent to which it might prompt in a way that Congress 
never really intended the virtual permanent breakup of families, 
especially the people who may be had visas even there to come into the 
country in the first place.
    So I'm working with Congress on it. But I hope you will understand 
when I tell you that since this is such a terrifically emotional issue, 
until we have a clear approach and I understand who is on what side 
here, the more I say about it, I might be endangering my chances to 
succeed. I think we all know what the most significant potential 
problems of the law are. I still support its fundamental traditions. I 
support--I'm glad I--I would sign the law again tomorrow if I had to 
because it gives us the ability to control our borders better, to get 
illegal immigrants out of the workplace, and to take illegal immigrants 
who come into the criminal justice system and remove them quicker. So I 
think that's all to the good.
    I'm concerned about undue family breakup and disqualifying people 
who may not deserve it virtually permanently from applying for 
citizenship.

Mexico-U.S. Antidrug Efforts

    Q. A question for both men. Have you resolved the issue of whether 
American drug agents operating in Mexico can carry sidearms for their 
own protection? And if you have, given the level of trust--or distrust--
between our two countries, such that it takes a Presidential meeting to 
resolve an issue like that, why should anyone believe that the United 
States and Mexico would be able to cooperate, exchange highly sensitive 
intelligence information on drug trafficking or drug smuggling, or is 
the talk of cooperation just that--talk?
    President Zedillo. If you will allow me, in the declaration that 
we've just signed, that President Clinton and I have just signed, it is 
very clear on two aspects. The first aspect, having to do with the 
principles--and I referred to them a moment ago, but I will refer to 
them again--and that is the absolute respect for the sovereignty and 
territorial jurisdiction of both Mexico and the United States.
    And the other aspect, which is very important for the Mexican 
Government and is expressed as one of the specific tasks to be 
undertaken by both Governments, and it reads, literally, ``The 
Governments will do whatever necessary to ensure the protection of the 
officials in charge of enforcing the law.'' And this naturally is on 
both sides of the border, applicable for both sides of the border.
    This principle and this recommendation which we've made to our 
Governments must be translated into practical measures which obviously 
are in keeping with both of the previously mentioned principles. I have 
already answered this question, the question that you've put me, in the 
past, and I can assure you that we will comply both with the principles 
that both Governments have agreed to, as well as with the objective of 
providing these people with safety.
    Naturally, it would not be appropriate for us to refer to the 
specific mechanisms with which, within the principle for the respective 
sovereignty, we will be protecting these law enforcement agents. I am 
sure that President Clinton nor myself would ever make public the 
details which might jeopardize the safety of these people. Yet our 
commitment in both areas is very clear.
    President Clinton. This is in response to the second half of your 
question. You said, why should anyone believe that we can work together? 
And let's be frank here among friends. On the American side the problems 
are we have less than 5 percent of the world's population, and we 
consume about half the drugs. And we're more than happy every year, 
American citizens, to give billions of dollars that winds up in the 
hands of narco-traffickers. That's our big problem. Our second problem 
is that while we are increasing our capacity to deal with it, we have 
not succeeded in reducing the demand or completely controlling the 
border on our side.
    Now, the Mexican problem is that narco-traffickers can destroy the 
fabric of civil society. They can undermine the integrity of any 
society. And they go after places with open spaces and a vulnerability 
to organized money and violence. And so they also have to worry about 
corruption, as anyone would targeted with that kind of money.
    But you say how can we rely on them to cooperate. Let me talk about 
some facts that we never--that we under-report. And I don't

[[Page 661]]

mean that as a criticism; I mean we do, too, we in public life. We now 
have 202 cooperative money-laundering ventures going now; 54 of them are 
complete, joint investigations. Last year, 200 law enforcement officers 
in Mexico lost their lives in the line of duty--200. And extraditions, 
seizures, prosecutions, and eradications are all up in the last year.
    So I believe that this Government is trying to work with us. And I 
believe that the chances of our succeeding in dealing with our problems, 
and the chances of their succeeding in dealing with their problems are 
dramatically heightened if we work together and be honest about our 
problems but also not deny good-faith efforts when they exist. All those 
200 people had families that grieved for them. They laid down their 
lives trying to fight--roll back the narcotraffickers, roll back 
corruption, roll back crime. And it seems to me that their lives alone 
are evidence that we ought to be working to cooperate.
    President Zedillo. In view of the time constraints, we will take one 
last question.
    Q. Thank you. Good afternoon. President Zedillo, in view of the 
magnitude of the fight against drug trafficking, is it possible that 
Mexico will accept the $6 million in cash offered by the United States 
to combat drugs as an additional resource to combat drug trafficking?
    And President Clinton, how did your view or your vision of Mexico 
change when you arrived here after your meeting with President Zedillo, 
and particularly, what was your concept after having visited the Museum 
of Anthropology?
    Thank you.
    President Zedillo. In terms of the principle of mutual respect and 
cooperation that the United States of America and Mexico have developed 
in fighting drug trafficking, there have been different occasions on 
which we have received material support for this struggle, which is a 
struggle that we all participate in.
    I am not informed of the details of the resources that you've 
mentioned. I am sure that within the context of the agreement that we 
have reached we will examine in all detail this offer, and in keeping 
with the principles and objectives that I've mentioned we will reach a 
decision in this regard.

Mexico-U.S. Relations and President's Visit to Museum of Anthropology

    President Clinton. Let me briefly say that I don't know that my view 
of our relationship has changed since I got here yesterday afternoon, 
but I have been reinforced in my conviction that we can make progress on 
all these fronts as long as we do it in a genuine atmosphere of mutual 
respect, and as long as we're completely honest about our differences 
and willing to work hard to overcome them, and we tell the people the 
facts about the progress we are making and the problems we have. So I 
feel very much reassured.
    And in terms of going to the Anthropological Museum, I haven't been 
there since the 1970's. I was a young man in a different line of work 
back then. And I think the President can tell you that I think I kept 
him about an hour longer than I was supposed to, and I would probably 
still be there if it were up to me. But I hope the Mexican people are 
very proud of that because it shows, even to an outsider like me, the 
remarkable cultures which were the foundation of modern Mexico. And it 
certainly gave me a deeper appreciation for the richness and depth of 
this country's history and the incredible talents and gifts of its 
people.
    President Zedillo. Muchas gracias.
    President Clinton. One more--equal time? [Laughter]

Mexico-U.S. Antidrug Efforts

    Q. Mr. President, you mentioned the responsibilities that the United 
States bears for the international drug problem because of the massive 
demand in the United States. Can you give us some of your ideas of new 
efforts that you might have to help to combat this big demand?
    The President. First of all, let me say, I have--we could talk all 
day about this, and I have to be brief. But the first thing I would urge 
you to do is to never forget the plan that General McCaffrey has filed 
now, because General McCaffrey is a military man and when he files a 
plan, that's his mission, and he intends to follow it. And if you look

[[Page 662]]

at our budget and if you look at our priorities, we're trying to 
implement it.
    But let me just mention two points, if I might. Number one, we are 
trying with the work of the Attorneys General of the two countries and 
our drug operations to intensify our cooperation with Mexico and to work 
more effectively with other countries to prevent drugs at their source 
or in transit. Number two, we are focusing on our young people. We know 
that we have--and we thank God for it--we know we've had a big decline 
in drug use among people between the ages of 18 and 34. So now we have 
to focus on the young. And that means more education, more testing, more 
treatment. And it means that we have to have a comprehensive juvenile 
justice youth development program in every community in the United 
States.
    That's one of the reasons I strongly supported the summit of service 
in Philadelphia, because I believe if they really want to do the things 
that we all said we wanted to do, there will have to be a community-
based initiative that the Federal Government supports in every community 
to keep our kids alive and keep them off drugs.
    So we have to do our part. And I'm firmly committed to doing it.
    Thank you.
    President Zedillo. Muchas gracias. 

Note: The President's 143d news conference began at 1:47 p.m. in the 
Residence at the Los Pinos Presidential Palace. President Zedillo spoke 
in Spanish, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. A portion 
of the news conference could not be verified because the tape was 
incomplete.