U.S. SEEKS HELP IN STOPPING DRUG TRADE

Items Compiled From Tribune News Services

COLOMBIA -- The United States is seeking help from Central American nations
in the offensive on Colombia's drug trade, says the head of the U.S.
Southern Command.

Peter Pace, in El Salvador for a regional meeting of military and police
commanders on security issues, said Friday that the success of Plan
Colombia depends in part on efforts to block the cocaine route through
Central America to the U.S. and on governments' willingness to capture
fugitive drug criminals.

"We must help neighboring countries, so that criminals cannot move around
easily," he said.

A U.S. military base outside El Salvador's capital of San Salvador was
installed last year to fight drug trafficking. And Friday the U.S.
delivered five Navy vessels to El Salvador to be used in the war on drugs.

The controversial Plan Colombia was implemented last year, backed by $1.3
billion in U.S. aid, in a bid to cut off the drug supply financing
guerrillas. COLOMBIA