COLOMBIAN ARMY LABELS REBELS DRUG TRAFFICKERS

The commander of the Colombian army says he has hard evidence that the
country's main rebel group is involved in every phase of the illegal drugs
trade.

General Jorge Mora told a news conference that documents captured by the
army proved that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC,
directly controlled the production and export of cocaine.

The BBC Colombia correspondent says the allegations are nothing new, but he
says a senior general voicing them them publicly will undermine President
Andres Pastrana's efforts to reach a peace agreement with the FARC.

Mr Pastrana has always denied the FARC were drug traffickers and said he
would never negotiate with drug dealers.