Colombia

PRESIDENT SAYS DRUG WAR NEEDS RE-EVALUATION

BOGOTA - President Andres Pastrana, one of Washington's closest allies in
the global war on drugs, called Thursday for a review of that struggle,
saying it has produced few victories.

"The conclusions are not good," Pastrana said in a rare talk with foreign
journalists ahead of next week's visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell.
"The conclusions are that drugs are still the first-or second-biggest
business of mankind."

In the wide-ranging discussion in the presidential palace, Pastrana said he
still hopes for a negotiated end to Colombia's civil war. He also said the
United States should re-establish intelligence-sharing with Colombia's air
force about suspected drug flights, and urged President Bush to help
organize an international narcotics conference.