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Mexican, U.S. border states try to stem drugs war

Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 22:59 CDT

By Eduardo Quiroz

TORREON, Mexico (Reuters) - Governors from U.S. and Mexican border states tried on Thursday to improve security on a long and porous frontier hit by a vicious war on drugs and fears of terrorist attacks.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has upset Mexico with controversial comments against illegal immigration, traveled south of the border to join other governors in the Mexican city of Torreon with security topping the agenda.

"One of the greatest challenges our nations face is cutting off the drug trade and ending the violence it has brought to communities on both sides of our border," Texas Gov. Rick Perry said in a videotaped message.

Hundreds of people have been killed this year in a war between Mexico's drug cartels for control of the lucrative cross-border trade in cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines.

The worst violence has been in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, where 87 people have been murdered this year and about 30 American citizens have been kidnapped since last August.

The U.S. government has called on Mexico to do more to stop the violence and twice warned U.S. citizens about travel to cities south of the Rio Grande. Mexico responded by telling Washington to stay out of its affairs.

Both sides adopted more diplomatic tones on Thursday and pledged close cooperation in the fight against drug cartels and in preventing militants from slipping across the border to launch terrorist attacks in the United States.

"Texas stands ready to help in any way we can to put an end to the rash of kidnappings and drug-related violence that has claimed hundreds of lives," Perry said.

In the two-day meeting, governors are looking at plans to improve the flow of intelligence about drug cartels, youth gangs and possible terrorist threats between police on both sides of the border.

"We have to stand up to the violence on the border, especially the threat of organized crime and terrorism," said Enrique Martinez, governor of Mexico's Coahuila state.

Schwarzenegger was on his first trip south of the border since becoming California's governor but made no speech at the meeting's opening session and was expected to fly home after dinner with the other governors.

Schwarzenegger riled Mexicans in the 2003 gubernatorial race, when he campaigned hard against a law granting driving licenses to illegal immigrants.

He again sparked resentment earlier this year by praising volunteer patrols for their "terrific job" in closing a stretch of the Arizona border to undocumented migrants from Mexico.

Mexican President Vicente Fox called on the border governors to ensure that migrants' rights are respected.

"Mexico finds of great concern the actions of certain civilian groups against migrants, respectable people with dignified aspirations," Fox said in a videotaped message.

About 11 million Mexicans live in the United States, many of them illegally.

Schwarzenegger visited Mexico in his previous career as a muscled-up action hero, filming the sci-fi shoot-up movie Predator in jungle near the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta.

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor in Mexico City)

Source: REUTERS

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