DATE=2/26/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-227354 TITLE=COLOMBIA REACT (L ONLY) BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE U-S FINDING THAT COLOMBIA HAS MADE PROGRESS IN THE DRUG WAR BUT IS STILL NOT FULLY COOPERATING IS SEEN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT BY THE GOVERNMENT IN BOGOTA. WE HAVE DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK IN OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU. TEXT: THE UNITED STATES CONSIDERS COLOMBIA DECERTIFIED, WITH A WAIVER THAT CONTINUED COOPERATION IS IN THE U-S NATIONAL INTEREST. COLOMBIA REGARDS THIS AS CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATION. COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARIA EMMA MEJIA SAYS THE DECISION WILL HELP COLOMBIA IN THE DRUG WAR, BECAUSE -- IN HER WORDS -- THE ENEMY IS NOT COLOMBIA, BUT DRUG TRAFFICKERS. HER COUNTRY IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF COCA, THE RAW MATERIAL OF COCAINE, AND THE MAJOR EXPORTER OF COCAINE. FOREIGN MINISTER MEJIA REJECTS THE STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT THAT THE CURRENT COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED FULL POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS. MS. MEJIA SAID, IN A RADIO INTERVIEW, THAT PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER CONCEIVES, SUPERVISES, AND FOLLOWS UP ON THE ANTI-DRUG EFFORT. IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, COLOMBIAN CONTROLLER GENERAL DAVID TURBAY HAS SURRENDERED TO AUTHORITIES TO FACE CHARGES OF ILLEGAL ENRICHMENT FROM CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CALI COCAINE CARTEL TO HIS 1994 POLITICAL CAMPAIGN. MR. TURBAY DENIES THE CHARGES AND HAS REQUESTED A THREE-MONTH LEAVE OF ABSENCE TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE. THE CONTROLLER HAS ASKED FOREIGN MINISTER MEJIA WHETHER HIS ARREST WAS, AS SOME POLITICIANS HAVE SUGGESTED, A CONDITION SET BY THE UNITED STATES FOR CERTIFICATION OF COLOMBIA'S COOPERATION IN THE DRUG WAR. COLOMBIA IS ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, TO REPLACE UNILATERAL U-S CERTIFICATION OF COUNTRIES. O-A-S SECRETARY GENERAL CESAR GAVIRIA -- A FORMER COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT -- HAS SAID THE ORGANIZATION IS WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. (SIGNED) NEB/GM/WDC/PT 26-Feb-98 5:42 PM EST (2242 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .