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)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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