[kesg]

Mr. Fox, how is it in Mexico's national interest to back Saddam rather than the United States? And if you back Saddam, isn't that the exact opposite of cooperating with us on the war against terrorists?

[APBaer]

"How is it in Mexico's national interest to back Saddam rather than the United States?"

Perhaps Mexico, which is a major petroleum producer, does not want the presently shut in capacity in Iraq to come to market and hammer oil prices?