Pubdate: Thu, 17 May 2001
Source: Associated Press (Wire)
Copyright: 2001 Associated Press
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/27
Author: Eun-Kyung Kim
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/find?172 (Peruvian Aircraft Shooting)

NARCOTICS PLAN WIDENS FOCUS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration's $882 million 
drug-fighting proposal for South American nations directs more 
attention to social and economic programs than last year's 
military-heavy program.

State Department officials, revealing details of the proposal 
Wednesday, said the plan also widens the focus from Colombia to its 
neighbors and strikes a more balanced approach than previous attempts 
to curb regional narcotics trafficking.

The United States provided Colombia $1.3 billion in aid last year, 
mostly in combat helicopters and other military assistance. Bordering 
countries soon sought similar U.S. aid as they detected Colombian 
narcotics producers moving in and other effects of ``Plan Colombia'' 
spilling over their borders.

``In a more perfect world, we obviously would have wanted to have 
provided a larger amount of support and assistance for other 
countries in other parts of the region in the course of last year,'' 
said William Brownfield, a deputy assistant secretary of state 
dealing with Western Hemisphere matters.

Last year's money focused on ``the heart of the problem,'' the first 
step in a multiyear effort, he said.

``It was our calculation at that time that if we had to start with a 
smaller package than what we would have wanted in a perfect world, 
the place to start was Colombia,'' Brownfield said.

Unlike last year's package, which emphasized law enforcement, this 
year's $882 million proposal roughly bisects the funding, half for 
security and half for economic and social programs providing jobs and 
services and strengthening democracy.

The proposal also provides only 45 percent of the aid, or about $399 
million, to Colombia. The remainder goes to its neighbors: Bolivia, 
Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Peru saw its coca cultivation increase in 2000 for the first time in 
recent years, said Rand Beers, assistant secretary of state for 
international narcotics and law enforcement.

``While the eradication effort there outstripped this new coca, it is 
a troubling feature of the drug environment there, and we want to 
ensure that it does not become a significant factor,'' he said.

Beers would not comment on whether the increase reflects a need to 
re-establish U.S. ties to an interdiction program in which Peru 
shoots down suspected drug planes. The program led to the deaths last 
month of a U.S. missionary and her infant daughter who were killed 
when their plane was shot down after initially being identified as a 
possible drug flight.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe