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U.S. expanding Plan Colombia into regional Andean plan

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Bush administration is in the process of designing an expansion of Plan Colombia, into a regional-wide plan for Colombia's neighbors in the Andes, US, Colombian and other Latin American officials tell CNN.

As the US assists Colombia with its counter-narcotics efforts, Colombia's neighbors in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia are worried that rebels will begin drug cultivation across Colombia's borders.

The neighboring economies are fragile, and poor citizens living in squalor along the border would see an incentive to join the rebels with drug production.

The original US commitment to Plan Colombia for Bogota's neighbors was $180 million. But a senior official tells CNN that while the "actual numbers" are not worked out yet, President Bush's 2002 budget will see a "major increase" in programs for Colombia's neighbors, and "some countries could see an increase in US aid by two or even three times."

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US officials say they have solicited ideas from Andean countries on how they would develop their borders to strengthen, democracy, human rights and their justice and law enforcement programs. One senior State Department official said the plan won't be "one size fits all," but rather will be "tailor made" for each country -taking into account the "commonalties" of problems endemic to the region.

"The Andean Ridge has problems that are relatively unique to the rest of Latin America," added Phil Chicola, the State Department Director for Andean affairs. "You have marginalized populations, you have perhaps deeply seeded or perhaps even more deeply seeded social economic problems in those countries than you do in many of the rest of the area."

"I think that what you are likely to see is a broader effort with additional resources that, while not neglecting the counter-narcotics dimension because it's a very important dimension, is very cognizant that there are many other socio-economic problems that interceded the narcotics problem that will be a factor," he said.

Colombia President Andres Pastrana is convening a meeting of Andean leaders before the April Summit of the Americas, in Quebec, so they can present their ideas to President Bush in a meeting on the sidelines of the summit, a Colombian official said.

But officials warn that the Bush administration will be "smart" about the distribution of aid, and will ensure the US is not "stampeded" by countries who see it as a "cash cow.

A Colombian official said "the most important thing the US can do to help the situation" in the Andes is to increase trade - what Pastrana sees as "phase two" of Plan Colombia.

"The movement away from drugs with alternative development is not sustainable in the long term unless there is a market for the new products and that is where the US can come in," he said.

He added that during his visit to Washington, Pastrana received a commitment by the Bush administration that it would support enhanced trade with the region, both through an renewal of the Andean Trade Preference Act and eventually through a proposed free trade agreement across the Americas.

The administration appears to have softened its position regarding involvement in Colombia's peace process and has held out the possibility of participating in talks with FARC rebels.

President Bush publicly refused Pastrana's appeals in the press for the US to participate in peace negotiations with the rebels.

US and Colombian officials tell CNN, however, that Pastrana never raised the issue directly during his meeting with Bush.

"The Bush administration went on record saying they would not participate," the Colombian official said. "So there was no reason for the president to start pushing it."

But Secretary of State Colin Powell has called for a "clarification" in the administration's position, and the State Department is now saying that US participation in the peace process would be conditional upon the FARC meeting specific US demands.

"The United States is not going to engage in talks with the FARC.. until it begins to cooperate with the appropriate government authorities on cases that involve American citizens," State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said, referring to incidents in 1993 and 1999 where Americans were allegedly murdered by associates of the FARC.

He added the US would also not engage with the rebels until there is a "clear intention on the part of the FARC to begin serious, substantive negotiations with the Colombian government."

A Colombia official said the comments marked a "definite softening" of the Bush administration's original position of refusing to engage with the rebels, which was a "huge deal" for Colombia.

"It is significant because US support for the peace process can do a lot to get the Europeans and the rest of the international community to support it as well," the official said. "When the world is watching and involved, the guerillas feel there is accountability, but when they are just dealing with the Colombian government, it is a different dynamic."



RELATED STORIES:
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March 1, 2001
Bush, Pastrana meet as U.S. report blasts Colombia
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Pastrana, FARC leader to resume peace talks
February 9, 2001

RELATED SITES:
Presidency of Colombia
Colombia General Information
U.S. Support for Plan Colombia

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