Analyses state roles in foreign policy by examining the broader picture of policymaking concerning US/Mexico transboundary resource issues and what roles states have to play in the policymaking process. Observers of natural resources issues on the US/Mexico border have been warning for some time that the seriousness of problems concerning such issues is escalating. Institutional and political capacity to deal successfully with these problems has not kept pace. This paper examines the nature of these issues, the incentives for and factors influencing the negotiation of binational settlements, and the role of state decisionmakers in that negotiation process. It also takes a closer look at the domestic US policymaking process concerning transboundary resource issues and examines state government officials' roles at the different stages of the process from initial agenda setting to implementation. Specific examples from case studies are cited and shortcomings of the existing decision processes are summarized. -from Author

Analysts should pay attention to 1) the actors and their stakes in the decision-making process; 2) the political and decision- making resources available; and 3) the biases of the alternative decision-making structures.