US THANKS COLOMBIA ON DRUGS WAR

The United States Government has issued its annual certification on
drugs control - the process by which it endorses other countries'
efforts to stem the flow of illegal drugs. Colombia remains certified,
despite evidence that drugs crops are increasing, and Afghanistan
remains decertified, despite the United Nations' acknowledgement that
the ruling Taleban have virtually wiped out opium production in the
country.

The annual judgement is important; if a country is decertified, it
will not normally receive US aid.

Cambodia and Haiti failed to meet the certification criteria, but
President George W Bush waived the aid ban on the grounds of US
national interest.

The only changes from last year's list involve Paraguay and Nigeria,
which were elevated from decertified to certified.

Hong Kong and Taiwan were removed from the list of major
drug-producing or smuggling countries; Mexico, Colombia and all other
Latin American countries were certified.

Affront

BBC Washington correspondent Jonny Dymond says certification is a
process that has aroused the ire of America's neighbours; Mexico's
President Fox described it as an affront that should be cancelled.

Rand Beers, assistant secretary of state for narcotics, defended the
controversial certification process.

"Throughout its 15 years existence the certification process has
proved to be an effective, if blunt, policy instrument for enhancing
counter-narcotics co-operation," Mr Beers said.

He did concede that there were certain difficulties with the
process.

"We should not hesitate to investigate other ways to encourage
co-operation on counter-narcotics," Mr Beers said.

Colombia increase

Despite being certified, and despite massive US aid and the world's
largest crop eradication programme, there is evidence that illegal
crop cultivation in Colombia is continuing to increase.

Drugs crop cultivation grew by 11% last year, with over 120,000
hectares dedicated to growing coca and poppy, the raw materials for
cocaine and heroine.

Data gathered by US intelligence agencies shows that drug cultivation
has increased by 32% in the guerrilla safe haven of the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC.

An area where crop-dusting aircraft and security forces are forbidden
to enter.

BBC Colombia correspondent Jeremy McDermott says analysts see the
latest figures as showing the futility of the US drug strategy.

They insist that as long as demand remains in Europe and the US for
illegal drugs then the crops will be grown and the balloon effect will
continue - which means that if crops are destroyed in one place, they
will simply spread to another.