Text: ONDCP's McCaffrey on Counterdrug Assistance for Colombia/Andean Region

(Says aid package "provides the needed tools" to fight illicit drugs)
(590)

General Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), issued a July 13 press release
hailing recent legislation that provides counterdrug assistance to
Colombia and other countries in the Andean region, which he said is
urgently needed to "help the government of Colombia respond to the
drug emergency and support its democratic institutions."

By cutting "the supply of cocaine and heroin coming into the United
States," the aid package "serves our national interest" while boosting
"Colombian President [Andres] Pastrana's efforts to bring peace and
stability to his country," McCaffrey said.

Following is the text of his statement, as released by the ONDCP:

[Note: In the the text, "billion" means 1,000 million.]

(begin text)

COLOMBIA/ANDEAN REGION COUNTERDRUG
ASSISTANCE PACKAGE PROVIDES TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS

Washington, D.C. -- Barry R. McCaffrey, Director of the White House
Office of National Drug Control Policy, issued the following statement
after President Clinton signed into law the Military Construction
Appropriations bill containing the $1.319 billion Colombia/Andean
Region counterdrug assistance:

The counterdrug assistance package for Colombia and other countries in
the region just signed by President Clinton provides the needed tools
for continued success against drug production and trafficking in this
hemisphere. Hemispheric programs aimed at reducing the supply of drugs
before they reach the United States have resulted in an 18 percent
drop in the amount of cocaine available worldwide over the last 4
years. That progress and our national interests are at risk in the
face of the 140 percent increase in Colombian coca production since
1995.

This coherent, long-term plan will help the Government of Colombia
respond to the drug emergency and support its democratic institutions.
In addition to the critical training and mobility for the Colombian
police and armed forces, this package provides $48.5 million for
support for human rights programs and security for human rights
workers, $65.5 million for administration of justice programs, and
$199 million for alternative economic development programs throughout
the region. As a result of the July 7 donors conference in Madrid, the
social and alternative economic development elements of the plan will
also be supported by $621 million from other donor nations and
international organizations. The U.S. package also provides nearly
$117 million for the establishment of U.S. Forward Operating Locations
to assist in regional drug air interdiction efforts.

We are appreciative of President Clinton's leadership on this critical
counterdrug issue, and we thank our colleagues throughout the
Administration, and Members of Congress from both the House and
Senate, both Republicans and Democrats, for their interest and support
for making this assistance package a reality. Hard work lies ahead for
the United States and our regional allies to ensure successful
implementation of the strategy, with the ultimate goal of keeping
illegal drugs off our streets and away from our families.

This initiative provides critical support to the other elements of our
National Drug Control Strategy, including the nearly $6 billion spent
on demand reduction and treatment programs and the $9 billion spent on
domestic law enforcement, because it will help to cut the supply of
cocaine and heroin coming into the United States. Providing this
assistance package serves our national interest and supports Colombian
President Pastrana's efforts to bring peace and stability to his
country.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)