COLOMBIAN GROUPS TO REVIEW US ANTI-DRUGS PLAN

Colombian civic groups will this week renew efforts to soften the impact of
a US-backed anti-drug strategy that many fear is likely to escalate the
country's long-running civil conflict.

A meeting of government officials, guerrillas, civil representatives and
international delegates, starting in Costa Rica on Monday, will also call
on armed groups to improve an abysmal record of respect for human rights.

The talks are being welcomed as a chance to enlarge the scope of peace
talks in Colombia, after criticism that existing negotiations between the
government and leftwing rebels are excluding wider debate.

Opponents of Plan Colombia - the government's peace and development plan,
to which the US is contributing around $1.3bn of mainly counter-drugs aid -
will press for a reduction of the military side of the plan.

Ana Teresa Bernal, national co-ordinator of Colombia's Redepaz network of
peace groups, called the meeting "a starting point to revise the strategies
of Plan Colombia".

However, there are few expectations that the three-day gathering will bring
a rapid breakthrough that will help the slow-moving official peace
negotiations.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the largest guerrilla
group, said last week it would not attend, although efforts were continuing
to secure its participation. The smaller National Liberation Army (ELN) is
expected to send delegates.

Many of the Colombian civic groups taking part believe Plan Colombia is
causing both the guerrilla movements and the government to harden their
positions in the conflict, and fear an escalation of fighting.

They also harbour doubts that the government will deliver on promises not
to fumigate illegal drug crops grown by peasants. Under Plan Colombia,
these farmers are supposed to be weaned onto alternative means of economic
support.

If President Andres Pastrana's government were to soften elements of Plan
Colombia, it could help to win over sceptical European nations. The
European Union is due to reconsider Colombia's request for aid for the
peace process later this month.

European countries have pressed Mr Pastrana's administration to "adopt an
inclusive approach" to non-governmental organisations, according to one
diplomat.

Despite emphasising human rights, the Costa Rica talks are also unlikely to
bring firm commitments from rebel groups to abandon tactics such as
kidnapping and massacres of civilians. Such acts have brought widespread
and repeated international repudiation, but so far without any let-up in
their use.

Public discontent with the limited progress in peace talks has not so far
pushed any of the participants to make dramatic concessions, such as an
agreement to exchange prisoners.

Pressure for a prisoner swap has grown in recent days after television
images were shown of captive police and soldiers being held behind barbed
wire in Farc-controlled jungle camps.