U.S. LAWMAKERS DEFEND U.S ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICY IN ANDEAN REGION

CARACAS, VENEZUELA Two U.S. congressmen defended their country's efforts
to combat drug trafficking in the Andean region against concerns that the
United States isn't doing enough to reduce drug consumption at home.

At an Andean Parliament summit on drug trafficking Wednesday, Rep. Mark
Souder of Indiana said there is a "misnomer that the United States is only
pointing the finger" at drug-producing nations, spending too much money on
fighting drug trafficking and too little on reducing demand at home.

Souder, with Rep. Cass Ballenger of North Carolina, was addressing
representatives of the Andean Parliament, which includes Bolivia, Ecuador,
Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

"It's important for you to understand that we understand we have a major
problem (with drug abuse) and we are trying to tackle it," Souder said.

He listed several initiatives to reduce drug consumption in the United
States: suspending federal student loans for those found to have abused
drugs; encouraging private companies to submit their employees to drug
tests; and guaranteeing college loans for students who maintain good grades
and avoid drugs.

Ballenger emphasized that the United States spends dlrs 15 billion a year
in battling substance abuse. He said that figure dwarfs the dlrs 1.3
billion the United States donated as part of "Plan Colombia," an effort to
eradicate coca production in rebel-held territories using U.S.-trained
soldiers and American Black Hawk helicopters.

The Andean region, especially Colombia, is the world's biggest producer of
cocaine; the United States is the world's biggest consumer.

The United States cooperates closely with all five Andean countries to
combat drug trafficking but its policies sometimes encounter resentment.

Earlier this year, Colombian President Andres Pastrana and Mexican
President Vicente Fox criticized Washington's annual certification of other
countries' cooperation in the drug war, saying the practice "offends our
countries."

During Wednesday's summit, Venezuelan Vice President Adina Bastidas
questioned whether "rich countries" should not shift the resources they
spend on combatting drug trafficking to cutting demand at home.

Interior Minister Luis Miquilena said Venezuela was still concerned that
Plan Colombia will lead to coca production spilling into Venezuela.
Venezuela is not a narcotics-producing nation but is a key transit point
for Colombian cocaine being smuggled into the United States and Europe.

"We understand that drug production in Colombia will spill over. But we
argue ... that the biggest threat to Venezuela is not getting control of
(coca production in) Colombia," Souder said.

Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed a dlrs 15.2 billion
foreign aid bill that includes dlrs 676 million allotted for helping the
Andean region fight drug trafficking. The bill is awaiting discussion in
the Senate.

Souder reminded the Andean Parliament that the House passed the bill
despite concerns that the money would be better spent fighting the
worldwide AIDS epidemic and other health programs.

"It has been a close debate on whether we should send money to the Andean
region at all. If we don't see results we will cut off funding," he said.