US PLANS HUGE REGIONAL DRUGS OFFENSIVE

The US government has announced plans for a new regional approach to
tackling drugs-production and trafficking in South America.

A senior State Department official William Brownfield said the Bush
administration would be backing a wider programme, called the Andean
Initiative, which would expand the current focus of US support from Colombia
to include Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela and Panama.

He said the idea was to show drug production was a regional problem that had
to be resolved through regional cooperation. The US provides huge financial
backing for the Colombian government's multi-billion dollar anti-narcotics
offensive, Plan Colombia.

But neighbouring countries -- concerned at the possible spillover of
violence and drugs-production as a result of the offensive -- have also
called for greater support.