Clinton, Mexico’s Salinas Will Meet on Friday

In an unusual pre-inaugural summit, President-elect Bill Clinton will travel to Austin, Tex., Friday to meet with Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, his transition office said Saturday.

The meeting, which had been sought by the Mexican president, is expected to focus on the reservations expressed by Clinton about the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Salinas and President Bush signed last month.

While generally supporting the accord--which awaits ratification by Congress--Clinton has said he wants additional agreements that would address concerns about the environment, working standards and the protection of American jobs.

The President-elect had indicated previously that he intended to meet with Salinas before taking office on Jan. 20. The session will be his first with a foreign leader since his election, and will represent somewhat of a departure from his dictum that matters of foreign policy be left to the sitting President.