4 MIST St A SI AUSTIN TIXAS 78701 4/761;5 Valley Star Harlingen, Texas MAR 1 1990 AP Border governors wrap up their meeting in Austin riday. Governors parry drug, alien issues; agree on other topics By RICKEY DAILEY Star Capitol Bureau AUSTIN — Sidestepping illegal drugs and immigration, U.S. and Mexican border gover- nors ended two days of talks Friday with agreements on economic, agricultural, tourism and health issues. New Mexico Gov. Garrey Carruths said Mexico primarily handles the drug problem at the federal level and the United States at the state level. "Where we don't share a responsibility, it's hard for us to handle an issue," he said. "Drugs is one of those areas." Texas Gov. Bill Clements, co-chairman of the eig.nri1.g:Neirco- trii-der Governors' Con- ference, said, "There is a strong mutuality of interest in this problem." "It is a sensitive issue and it does not lend itself to public forum," he said, at a session- ending press conference with the other govenors. Clements did say deployment along the border, including one in Starr County, of radar- equipped blimps to detect smugglers does not infringe on Mexico's national rights. His Mexi- can counterparts agreed. Earlier, U.S. Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher said only preliminary discussions, not negotiations, on a U.S.-Mexico free trade have taken place. The dropping of trade barriers under such a pact would allow each country better access to the other's markets, labor, and technology. Mexican governors, while backing President Salinas' move to revitalize the economy by cutting stifling regulations, said too quick a change to free trade could cause problems. On immigration, especially of migrant work- ers, the Mexican governors said it was not addressed because it was not on the agenda. Tamaulipas Gov. Americo Villarreal, confer- ence co-chairman, said the agenda was drawn up by selecting the "most immediate topics to be dealt with" and "the governors accepted." Responding to a question about bottlenecks at international bridges caused by immigration and customs delays, Clements said, -We recog- nize, essentially, that this is a problem on the U.S. side. It is, in my judgment, a bureaucratic problem." The governors agreed: • To expand trade and investment by encouraging the end of non-tariff trade barriers, construction of additional ports of entry, and establishment of a regular international confer- ence on trade and investment. • To foster new industrial development by strengthening programs to attract new busi- nesses to the maquiladora parts and supplies markets. One method is creation of regional computer data bases, including one at The University of Texas-Pan American, covering local market information, business opportunities and to match twin plant parts buyers with suppliers. - • • •