Index

DATE=5/16/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=CLINTON-COLOMBIA (L) NUMBER=2-262433 BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: President Clinton is warning that U-S national-security interests in Latin America will suffer if Congress fails to give speedy approval to anti-drug aid to Colombia. VOA's David Gollust reports from the White House. TEXT: The President's remarks reflect growing frustration within the administration about Congressional handling of his proposed one-point-six billion dollar Colombia aid package. Though it has bipartisan support and was proposed as an emergency supplement to the current-year budget, it has become bogged-down in Congress with the Senate threatening a deep cut. At an impromptu news conference, Mr. Clinton said the United States needs to send a strong and speedy message of support to those battling the drug trade in Colombia and the region: ///Clinton actuality/// We need to send a signal to those people down there who are fighting for democracy, fighting for freedom, fighting for the rule of law, fighting against the narco-traffickers, fighting against terrorism, that we're on their side. And we also need to signal to them that there is an alternative economic way that the people can make a living who've been caught up in the drug trade, kind of at the grass-roots, farmer level, and this bill does that. ///end act/// Mr. Clinton said he expected the aid package to eventually win approval, but said it would be, quote, "a really bad mistake" in terms of U-S national security if the debate drags on for another three or four months. Though administration officials insist the U-S aid -- including training and helicopters - would go only to Colombian drug-fighting units, Congressional critics say it will inevitably drag the United States into Colombia's long-running conflict between the government and leftwing rebels. The aid package is moving through the House of Representatives essentially intact, but the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved little more than half the money sougth by the White House and key Senators have said it may take several months to complete action on it. The one-point-six billion dollar commitment is intended as the U-S contribution to Colombian President Andres Pastrana's more than seven billion dollar national reconstruction program. Mr. Clinton says timely action by Congress will make it easier for Colombia to get support from other prospective donor countries and international lending institutions. (Signed) NEB/DAG/PT 16-May-2000 15:58 PM EDT (16-May-2000 1958 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .