DATE=1/11/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-COLOMBIA (L)
NUMBER=2-257973
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  The Clinton administration has announced a 
one-point-six billion dollar economic and military aid 
package aimed at helping Colombia fight drug 
traffickers and strengthen its economy. VOA's David 
Gollust has details from the White House.


TEXT:  The White House says the Colombia aid package 
is urgenly needed to help the South American country 
combat narcotics trafficking, bolster its slumping 
economy and shore up its beleaguered democratic 
government.

The administration initiative is a response to an 
appeal from Colombian President Andres Pastrana for 
help in underwriting a more than seven billion dollar 
national recovery program, and comes amid pressure in 
the U-S Congress for action to counter surging exports 
of illicit Colombian cocaine and heroin.

The bulk of the aid package would underwrite the 
purchase by Colombia of more than 60 U-S helicopters - 
including advanced Blackhawk aircraft -- to help the 
Colombia armed forces push into coca-growing areas in 
the southern parts of the country now dominated by 
guerrilla insurgents.

It would also upgrade Colombia's ability to track and 
interdict drug shipments, increase coca eradication, 
promote alternative crops and jobs, and provide help 
to the country's judicial system to protect human 
rights and curb money laundering.

The aid plan is a further sign of the turnaround in U-
S Colombian relations which began in 1998 after drug-
tainted former President Hugo Samper left office. At a 
briefing for reporters, acting U-S Assistant Secretary 
of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Peter Romero 
said President Pastrana has done everything he can to 
combat drugs and human rights abuses and deserves U-S 
support:

            /// ROMERO ACTUALITY ///

      This a president who has taken the issue of 
      human rights abuses inside of his military very 
      seriously, has removed general officers and 
      colonels and others from posts because of their 
      suspected collaboration with paramilitaries. He 
      has bitten the bullet on extraditions, arrested 
      over 30 narco-kingpins in Colombia. He has been 
      as flexible as any human being could possibly be 
      to continue to move the peace process ahead and 
      to keep that peace process alive. This is 
      historic opportunity to deal with all the 
      problems that Colombia faces in an integrated 
      way and it's an opportunty more than anything 
      else that we should not let pass.
      
            /// END ACTUALITY ///

The aid plan is not without its critics, including 
human rights advocates who say it the provision of 
helicopters and other equipment draws the United 
States closer to direct involvement in the long-
running war between the Colombian government and left-
wing insurgents. 

Carlos Salinas - advocacy director for Latin America 
for Amnesty International -told V-O-A even U-S 
counter-drug coodinator Barry McCaffrey concedes it is 
hard to distinguish between anti-drug and anti-
insurgency efforts:

            /// SALINAS ACTUALITY ///

      The administration also claims that there won't  
      be any counter-insugency involved when, in fact, 
      General McCaffrey has pointed out before that 
      the line between counter-insurgency and counter-
      drug is essentially meaningless in Colombia, a 
      point with which we would agree. The program and 
      the military assistance will be used in areas 
      where there is a heavy armed opposition 
      presence. And it is simply fantasy-land to think 
      that these programs and this aid won't be used 
      in counter-insurgency.

            /// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Salinas also accused the administration of having 
insufficient concern about the Colombian paramilitary 
groups which he said operate with impunity in army 
controlled areas and are responsible widespread rights 
abuses.

Congressional Republican leaders, whose own Colombia 
aid package failed to win approval last year, welcomed 
the administration program and promised swift 
consideration. Colombia received nearly 300-million 
dollars in U-S aid in 1999 and is already the third-
largest U-S aid client behind Israel and Egypt. 
(Signed)


NEB/DAG/TVM/PT



11-Jan-2000 18:31 PM EDT (11-Jan-2000 2331 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.