Pubdate: Thu, 26 Sep 2002
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2002 The Dallas Morning News
Contact:  http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author:  Alfredo Corchado, The Dallas Morning News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

BUSH HAILS COLOMBIAN LEADER, VISION FOR PEACE

He says U.S. strongly supports Uribe's fight against drugs, rebels

WASHINGTON - President Bush lauded Colombia's newly elected president 
Wednesday, calling him a "man of freedom" and reiterating U.S. support for 
the South American country in its decades-old civil war.

In his first meeting with President Alvaro Uribe, Mr. Bush said he was 
"incredibly impressed" by Mr. Uribe's vision for peace in Colombia.

"The Colombian people believe him, and so do I," Mr. Bush said. "And today 
I want to affirm our country's strong desire to help the Colombian 
government and the Colombian people prosper and to live in freedom."

The gathering in the Oval Office, followed by a two-hour working lunch with 
Mr. Bush and Cabinet officials, capped Mr. Uribe's 48-hour visit, which 
included meetings at the Pentagon, Capitol Hill and the State and Treasury 
departments, and with policy analysts.

Colombian government aides said the meetings were aimed at spotlighting the 
country's new aggressive strategy to combat drug and armed outlaw groups as 
it endures enormous economic sacrifice.

Financial Help Sought

During the meeting with Mr. Bush and members of his Cabinet, Mr. Uribe 
said, he asked for help in meeting Colombia's financial commitments with 
international institutions, while creating jobs and still fighting its drug 
war. Afterward, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said the administration 
supports "current discussions between Colombia and the international 
financial institutions to mobilize financing to advance reform and to meet 
the needs of the challenging period ahead."

U.S. and Colombian officials have estimated that Colombia supplies more 
than 90 percent of the cocaine and more than half the heroin to the United 
States.

"Illicit drugs are the most powerful chemical weapon in the world," Mr. 
Uribe said. "If we want to restore law and order in Colombia, if we want to 
stop the spread of drugs into other neighboring countries, we have to 
defeat drugs and we have to defeat terrorists in my country."

Upon taking office in August, Mr. Uribe launched a new military offensive 
against leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitary organizations. On 
Tuesday, Attorney General John Ashcroft unsealed an indictment against the 
leader of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, Carlos Castano, and 
two other members of the paramilitary group.

Drug Role Denied

In a radio interview broadcast Wednesday in Colombia, Mr. Castano denied 
involvement in the drug trade. He said his primary condition for surrender 
is that his children be taken to the United States for their safety. The 
United States has previously indicted the largest rebel organization, the 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on drug trafficking charges.

The indictments, analysts said, were aimed at helping Mr. Uribe press his 
case to human-rights organizations and U.S. lawmakers who have been 
critical of widespread abuses by paramilitary groups. Mr. Uribe, who has 
denied allegations of ties to the groups, said he is serious about pursuing 
criminals evenly.

The United States has spent more than $2 billion in Colombia since 2000 to 
combat drug traffickers, with about $450 million in new assistance 
requested by the Bush administration for next fiscal year.

"I want President Uribe to succeed, and I told him that. We all do," said 
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations. "But I also want to be sure that when 
the United States gives aid, we do not compromise our principles or our 
commitment to human rights and the rule of law."

During his visit, Mr. Uribe's underlying message was the sacrifice 
Colombians are making to support a new strategy that he said has already 
led to the arrests of more members of the United Self-Defense Forces of 
Colombia than in the four years of the previous administration.

Mr. Uribe has said he plans to enlist 1 million civilians to serve as 
informers and create a supplemental army of part-time peasant soldiers. He 
is also instituting a 1.2 percent "war surtax" on upper-middle class and 
wealthy Colombians during tough economic times.

Colombia's unemployment rate is 18 percent and climbing, with fears of 
future economic troubles akin to those facing Brazil and Argentina, 
officials said. Already, tens of thousands of Colombians have fled for the 
United States, Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Some policy analysts viewed Mr. Uribe's trip a success but cautioned that 
in spite of the continued flow of U.S. aid to Colombia, the issue in 
Washington has been relegated to second-tier news, replaced by events in 
Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

"He's preparing the road for the kind of support he will need over his 
years in office," said Michael Shifter, a Colombian expert at the 
InterAmerican Dialogue. "I think he left a good impression."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager