BRITAIN, U.S. SPLIT OVER COLOMBIAN DRUG WAR

BOGOTA, Colombia - A split emerged Wednesday between Britain and the United
States over the anti-drug war in Colombia, with a top British official
criticizing the Clinton administration for pumping in military aid despite
human rights violations.

British Cabinet Minister Mo Mowlam also voiced opposition to the widespread
use of herbicides on drug crops -- a major component of the U.S.-backed
strategy.

The statements reveal that opposition to the U.S.-backed military offensive
stretches across the Atlantic. Neighboring Latin American countries already
have expressed fears that the war on drugs will destabilize the region.
Colombian human rights groups have refused to accept U.S. aid as part of
the plan, which they believe spends too much on the military and not enough
on social programs.