DATE=9/7/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=COLOMBIAN APPEAL (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253572
BYLINE=PAMELA TAYLOR
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Colombia's former defense minister and
(former) army commander told reporters in Washington
today (Tuesday) that his government's peace
negotiations with leftist guerrillas are tantamount to
treason. General Harold Bedoya says he agrees with
the head of the U-S anti-drug effort, Barry McCaffrey,
who has denounced the close ties between Colombia's
guerrillas and drug traffickers. V-O-A's Pamela
Taylor reports.
TEXT: General Bedoya said he is in Washington to warn
U-S Congressmen and other officials about the dangers
of backing Colombia's negotiations with a guerrilla
movement which is under the influence of drug
traffickers.
During a visit to Colombia in July by U-S drug policy
chief Barry MacCaffrey, Colombian President Andres
Pastrana played down the links between the country's
leftist guerrillas and the illegal drug trade. Mr.
McCaffrey called the rebels narco-guerrillas.
General Bedoya clearly agrees with this
characterization. For that reason, he says,
Washington must now end its political support for what
he calls Colombia's false peace talks.
/// BEDOYA ACT (IN SPANISH), WITH TRANSLATOR ///
They can not continue to support the
disintegration of the country, which is going on
under the false name of peace plans and peace
negotiations. Colombia is being destroyed.
It's being handed over to narcoterrorists.
/// END ACT ///
It is this message General Bedoya delivered to Senator
Ted Kennedy's office (today/Tuesday). He plans to
deliver the same warning to other U-S officials later
in the week.
The General left the Pastrana government to form his
own political movement [Fuerza Colombia]. He said the
Pastrana government has been blackmailed into
negotiating peace with the guerrillas. (Signed)
NEB/PAM/TVM/WTW
07-Sep-1999 17:51 PM EDT (07-Sep-1999 2151 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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