By IMANI CROSBY/WASHINGTON, D-C

DATE=1/30/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-209458

TITLE=COLOMBIA/U-S/DRUGS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=IMANI CROSBY

DATELINE=WASHINGTON, D-C

CONTENT=

INTRO: COLOMBIA'S DESIGNATED AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES

GAVE AN UPDATE OF HIS COUNTRY'S EFFORTS IN THE WAR AGAINST

ILLEGAL DRUGS DURING A BRIEFING WEDNESDAY IN WASHINGTON. V-O-A'S

IMANI CROSBY HAS DETAILS:

TEXT: JUAN CARLOS ESGUERRA SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCED

ADVANCES AND SETBACKS LAST YEAR IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUG

TRAFFICKING AND PRODUCTION.

MR. ESGUERRA SAYS THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT DESTROYED 800

LABORATORIES AND TWENTY-THOUSAND HECTARES OF COCA PLANTATIONS,

MOSTLY IN THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION OF THE COUNTRY. IT IS IN THAT

REMOTE, HEAVILY RURAL AREA, ACCORDING TO MR. ESGUERRA, THAT MOST

OF COLOMBIA'S COCA IS PRODUCED.

THE AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE SAYS THE USE OF BOTH MILITARY AND POLICE

FORCES ARE ESSENTIAL IN THEIR CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTHWESTERN

COLOMBIA. MR. ESGUERRA DENIES THAT THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT CAN

WIN ITS ILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN WITHOUT THE USE OF THE MILITARY:

//ESGUERRA ACT//

THEY HAVE TO HELP, THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH

POLICE FORCES AND, ESPECIALLY, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO

FIGHT WITH BETTER POSSIBILITIES OF SUCCESS BOTH

NARCO-TRAFFICKING AND GUERRILLA -- AND ESPECIALLY THE

NARCO-GUERRILLA MOVEMENT THAT PREVAILS IN CERTAIN AREAS

OF THE COUNTRY, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT BOTH WORK TOGETHER.

// END ACT //

MR. ESGUERRA SAYS AN ASSET FORFEITURE LAW APPROVED BY THE

COLOMBIAN CONGRESS LAST YEAR HELPED THE GOVERNMENT SEIZE PROPERTY

AND PROFITS OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS. BUT, HE ADMITS THE LAW HAS

LITTLE EFFECT IF DRUG TRAFFICKERS DO NOT RECEIVE TOUGHER JAIL

SENTENCES WHEN CONVICTED. // OPT // HE SPECIFICALLY REFERRED TO

THE LIGHT PRISON TERMS GIVEN TO THE TWO FOUNDERS OF THE CALI DRUG

CARTEL EARLIER THIS MONTH. // END OPT //

MR. ESGUERRA SAYS ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF HIS GOVERNMENT'S

CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF COLOMBIA WAS THE DISCOVERY

OF THE EXCESSIVE USE OF CEMENT AND GASOLINE BY THE ILLEGAL DRUG

TRADE. HE SAYS THOSE ITEMS ARE USED TO SPEED UP THE PRODUCTION

OF COCAINE -- SO THE GOVERNMENT STARTED REGULATING THEIR TRADE.

// OPT // IT WAS NOT CLEAR EXACTLY HOW THE ITEMS ARE USED TO

SPEED UP THE COCAINE-MAKING PROCESS. // END OPT //

HOWEVER, MR. ESGUERRA SAYS THE REGULATIONS LED TO A BLACK MARKET

FOR CEMENT AND GASOLINE THAT WAS SMUGGLED IN FROM NEIGHBORING

COUNTRIES. TO COUNTER THIS BLACK MARKET, THE AMBASSADOR

DESIGNATE SAYS COLOMBIA IS IN THE PROCESS OF SIGNING INDIVIDUAL

BORDER AGREEMENTS TO PREVENT THE ILLEGAL ENTRY OF THE GOODS INTO

THE COUNTRY. (SIGNED)

NEB/IC/MMK

30-Jan-97 4:06 PM EST (2106 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America