CLINTON TO SIGN WAIVER GIVING COLOMBIA $1.3 BILLION IN AID

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton plans to sign a waiver authorizing
distribution of a $1.3 billion aid package to help the Colombian government
fight drug traffickers, even though it has not met all the human rights
conditions set by Congress, administration officials said Tuesday.

The decision comes one week before Clinton is to make a one-day visit to
Colombia to demonstrate his support for President Andres Pastrana's efforts
to combat the country's drug trade, which is responsible for 90 percent of
the cocaine consumed in the United States. Officials said Clinton could
formally sign the waiver as early as today -- the final step in a year-long
debate over how best to assist the Pastrana government.

Congress approved Clinton's request for Colombia aid in July on a
bipartisan basis despite the opposition of human rights groups concerned
about abuses by Colombia's military. The U.S. plan calls for more than $1
billion to train and equip the Colombian army and police forces, and
includes delivery of 18 Black Hawk helicopters and 42 Huey 2 helicopters.
The package also provides money for promoting human rights programs,
judicial reform and economic development.

Bowing to concerns that the money would reward the Colombian military
despite its poor human rights record and its ties to right-wing
paramilitary groups, Congress conditioned the package on the Colombian
government curbing rights abuses by the armed forces.

Among the conditions was a requirement that Pastrana issue a written
statement that military personnel accused of human rights abuses will be
brought to justice in the country's civilian courts. Pastrana issued that
statement last Thursday.

"This is an important step," a senior official said. "It's saying military
courts cannot be used to shield human rights abusers."

Congressional critics of Colombia's human rights policies expressed
disappointment that the president would release the aid package, even
though his decision was widely anticipated. Some said they wished the
administration had pressed harder for improvements in human rights.

"These conditions are nothing more than what the Colombian government said
they were prepared to do, and it is not too much to ask, given the risks
involved and the amount they are asking us to provide," said Sen. Patrick
Leahy, D-Vt. "We need to see a consistent good faith effort (to curb human
rights abuses), and we don't even see that."

The Pastrana directive satisfied one of seven human rights criteria that
Congress said had to be met before the money could be released. Other
criteria include requiring the Colombian army commander to suspend
personnel alleged to have committed "gross violations of human rights,"
demanding that the government prosecute leaders of paramilitary groups, and
requiring the military to develop a judge advocate general corps to
investigate military misconduct.

The State Department has not outlined which conditions are being met, but
officials said the department recommended Friday that Clinton waive the
criteria that could not be met on national security grounds -- to free up
the money as soon as possible. "We think it's necessary to get the money
out now," a State Department official said.