Because of disagreement in Washington on a policy toward Mexico, no preparatory talks on substantive issues had taken place by late last week. “The American advance team spent its time talking about security and logistics,” a Mexican official complained. “Our position papers are ready, but we can't talk to ourselves.”

‘Balanced, Fair, Respectful’

President López Portillo has said he hopes the visit will lead to “a balanced, fair, respectful and dignified relationship between the two neighbors.” Foreign Ministry official said that López Portillo was referring to recognition of Mexico's “new stature as a determining factor in international affairs” and its geopolitical position. More specifically, he has proposed that key issues be dealt with as a package, which would enable Mexico to use energy resources to extract concessions on trade and migrant questions.

Rather than define the Mexican position on these issues, he says he is interested in establishing framework for wide‐ranging discussions. Mexican officials say that Washington has shown little interest in such an approach, although wide‐ranging discussion. Mexican officials say that Washington has show little interest in such an approach, althought officials in Washington say the United States favors such an approach.

Mexican officials say that United States officials, apparently in the likelihood that there may be no agreement the major issues, are stressing the importance of the visit in the context of “continuing personal diplomacy” between the two leaders. And the United States Ambassador, Patrick J. Lucey, appeared on Friday to be trying to reduce the focus of attention on the sensitive energy question when he said that “from the point of view of enlightened self‐interest, a stable Mexico is of more importance to the United States than any increase in production of oil or gas.”

In contrast to the simmering antiAmericanism of his predecessor, Luis Echeverría Alvarez, Mr. López Portillo began his administration in December 1976 with the aim of establishing a close working relationship with Washington.

At first the Carter Administration seemed to reciprocate. Mr. López Portillo was the first foreign head of state to visit Mr. Carter at the White House and, in response to the visitor's call for linkage of key issues, the two leaders created a special mechanism to discuss the whole range of problems. The new era, it seemed, was dawning.

After the Presidents had exchanged warm words and embraces, however, the Carter Administration adopted policies that proved to be damaging to Mexico's interests on the questions of most concern to it — migration, trade and energy. By last October Mr. López Portillo was led to complain that Mexico received ‘neither priority nor respect’ from the United States.