Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press Author: The Associated Press Note: Heading by MAP editor VENEZUELANS DENY AIR SPACE TO U.S. ANTI-DRUG PLANES CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Venezuela's foreign minister on Wednesday said his government would not reverse its decision to deny Venezuelan air space to U.S. anti-drug planes. "We work intensely in the fight against drugs, but we don't necessarily share all the ideas that the United States has about the topic," Jose Vicente Rangel told reporters. Citing "national sovereignty," Venezuela has refused a U.S. request to use its airspace for anti-narcotics flights from three new staging centers being set up in Ecuador and the Dutch islands of Curacao and Aruba. On Tuesday, the head of the U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Charles Wilhelm, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that "it is imperative that we come to closure with Venezuela on counterdrug cooperation. Otherwise, our efforts throughout the region will suffer in terms of efficiency and effectiveness." Venezuela is a key transit point for Colombian cocaine en route to the United States and Europe. [ ... snip ... ] - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D