Pubdate: Tue, 15 Aug 2000
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Copyright: 2000 Las Vegas Sun, Inc.
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ALBRIGHT MEETS BRAZILIAN OFFICIALS

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stressed the 
need to preserve the region's democratic advances and boost free trade on 
Tuesday during meetings with top Brazilian officials.

Albright met with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Foreign Minister 
Luiz Felipe Lampreia during her five-hour stay in Brazil -- the first leg 
of her whirlwind five-day tour that will also take her to Argentina, Chile, 
Ecuador and Bolivia.

"We discussed the need to ensure that the democratic tide continues to rise 
in the Western Hemisphere," Albright said at a news conference before 
leaving for Argentina. "Over the past two decades, democracy has made 
enormous gains, but in some areas of the region it is experiencing 
considerable stress."

She made it clear that she was referring to Peru and Colombia.

Albright said U.S. officials were concerned about the methods President 
Alberto Fujimori used to win re-election to a third consecutive term in a 
runoff vote that was criticized by international monitors as not meeting 
fairness standards.

After the May 28 election, the Organization of American States proposed a 
series of measures to strengthen democracy in Peru, including reforms in 
the judicial system, strengthening civilian control of the military, and 
protecting human rights and freedom of expression and the press.

"I think it is very important that this road map be followed if President 
Fujimori wants to have the respectability and credibility within the 
international community," she said.

On Colombia, Albright said she, Cardoso and Lampreia "discussed the 
importance of backing President (Andres) Pastrana's plan to combat drug 
trafficking and restore the economic health of his country."

President Clinton last month approved $1.3 billion in mainly military aid 
to help Colombia, the world's largest cocaine producer, fight drug smuggling.

But Lampreia, who was also present at the news conference, said Brazil 
would not support the plan, although it but would consider taking part in 
peace negotiations to end that country's 36-year civil war.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart