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DATE=6/2/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-250146 TITLE=DRUG CZAR / COLOMBIA (L-O) BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN DATELINE=MIAMI CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S TOP ANTI-NARCOTICS OFFICIAL SAYS THE UNITED STATES COULD DO EVEN MORE TO SUPPORT COLOMBIA IN ITS BATTLE AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUG PRODUCTION. FROM MIAMI, V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS. TEXT: WHITE HOUSE DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS COLOMBIA RECEIVES 250 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR -- MAKING IT THE LARGEST FOREIGN RECIPIENT OF U-S COUNTER- NARCOTICS ASSISTANCE. BUT, AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN MIAMI (WEDNESDAY), MR. MCCAFFREY WAS ASKED WHETHER THE UNITED STATES IS DOING EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO HELP COLOMBIA WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS. THIS WAS HIS RESPONSE: // MCCAFFREY ACT // THE ANSWER IS NO. WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT COLOMBIA'S POLICE AND ARMY, AS WELL AS ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND WE NEED TO STAND WITH THEM IN THEIR CONFRONTATION WITH A DRUG THREAT THAT IS APPALLINGLY DANGEROUS TO THEIR CITIZENS AND ALSO TO OUR OWN. // END ACT // COLOMBIA IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF COCA LEAF - THE RAW MATERIAL USED TO MAKE COCAINE -AS WELL AS A MAJOR EXPORTER OF HEROIN. LATE LAST YEAR, THE U-S CONGRESS APPROVED AN AID PACKAGE FOR COLOMBIA THAT INCLUDES THE TRANSFER OF SIX 'BLACKHAWK' HELICOPTERS FOR CROP ERADICATION AND OTHER COUNTER-NARCOTICS OPERATIONS. BUT BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS COLOMBIA NEEDS MORE THAN HELICOPTERS TO WIN THE DRUG WAR. HE SAYS COLOMBIA MUST ALSO NEUTRALIZE GUERRILLA GROUPS LIKE THE 'REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA' (FARC) AND THE 'NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY' (E-L-N) THAT ARE WIDELY REPORTED TO PROFIT FROM THE DRUG TRADE. // MCCAFFREY ACT // COLOMBIA'S PROBLEMS ARE NOT JUST A LACK OF BLACKHAWKS. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS DILEMMA NOW IN CONFRONTING CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT COMBINE WITH THE 'FARC' AND THE 'E-L-N.' THE FARC AND THE E-L-N HAVE TURNED INTO QUASI-TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE DESTROYING COLOMBIA. // END ACT // //OPT// WHILE VOICING SUPPORT FOR COLOMBIA'S BATTLE AGAINST INSURGENTS, THE WHITE HOUSE DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR RULED OUT ANY DIRECT U-S INVOLVEMENT IN THE COLOMBIAN CONFLICT. // MCCAFFREY ACT // U-S POLICY IS NOT ONLY TO CONFRONT THE DRUG ISSUE, BUT TO SUPPORT COLOMBIAN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. HAVING SAID THAT, THIS INTERNAL STRUGGLE IS COLOMBIA'S RESPONSIBILITY, NOT THE U-S'. // END ACT & OPT // MR. MCCAFFREY CAME TO MIAMI TO ADDRESS THE CITY'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS. LATE WEDNESDAY, HE VISITED AN AIR BASE FROM WHICH THE U-S CUSTOMS SERVICE CONDUCTS COUNTER-NARCOTICS PATROLS ALONG SOUTH FLORIDA'S COASTLINE. (SIGNED) NEB/MCB/PHW/WFR 02-Jun-99 4:58 PM EDT (2058 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .