CLINTON ON WAIVER TO PERMIT AID TO COLOMBIA TO BEGIN FLOWING



Asked to comment on his August 22 signing of a waiver so that U.S. aid
can begin flowing to Colombia, even though Colombia has not met all
the human rights conditions specified by the U.S. Congress, Clinton
said:


"I did it because I believe (Colombia's) President Pastrana is
committed to dealing with the human rights issues, about which we're
still very concerned. He has submitted legislation to the Colombian
parliament, for example, for civil trials, for allegations of military
abuses of human rights. And we also have a system in place for
specific, case-by-case investigation of serious allegations.


"So I think that we've protected our fundamental interests in human
rights and enabled Plan Colombia to have a chance to succeed, which I
think is very, very important for the long-term stability of democracy
and human rights in Colombia and for protecting the American people
and the Colombian people from the drug traffic."


Asked if he were not sabotaging human rights in favor of the money,
Clinton said "No. No. The money is designed to help combat the drug
trafficking and to help alleviate a lot of the social problems, to
help to develop alternative economic development, and also to build
the civil institutions in Colombia which will help to protect human
rights.


"So what I did," Clinton said, "was to permit Plan Colombia to go
forward and to be implemented because I'm convinced that the President
(Pastrana) is committed to the proper course on human rights -- he's
submitted legislation which is evidence of that -- and because we
haven't given up our ability to look into case-by-case allegations of
human rights violations dealing with specific military units who can
be kept from getting any of this assistance if they have in fact
committed human rights violations."