COUNTRIES GRADED ON DRUG WOES

WASHINGTON - President Bush, issuing a report card on countries with drug
problems, gave a passing grade to Colombia and Mexico on Monday and took
steps to ensure U.S. assistance to Afghanistan will continue.

Bush's assessment covered calendar year 2001, a period, he said, when
Afghanistan had "failed demonstrably" to adhere to international drug
control standards.

Under the law, such a finding could prohibit some assistance programs, but
Bush issued a waiver on the grounds that aid to the new government in
Afghanistan is "vital to the national interests of the United States."

The Taliban regime was in power in Afghanistan for most of 2001.

Bush found that Haiti and Myanmar also had "failed demonstrably" to
cooperate effectively in combating drug trafficking. Haiti, like
Afghanistan, was given a national interest waiver.

Of the 23 countries covered by the report, 20 were found to meet standards
for combating drug trafficking.