BRAZIL WILL NOT BACK U.S. PLAN TO ASSIST COLOMBIA DRUG WAR

BRASILIA, Aug. 15 -- Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright won support from Brazil today for strengthening the region's fragile democracies, but failed to enlist it behind a $1.3 billion fight against Colombian drug traffickers and rebels.

Dr. Albright, kicking off a tour of five South American countries, said her one-day visit to Brazil showed bilateral relations were the best in 50 years and differences in opinion "were far fewer than the areas of agreement."

But Brazil's Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia stressed the "autonomy" of Latin America's largest country, and said it would not participate in the major Washington campaign to help battle Colombian drug traffickers.

Brazil, which shares a long Amazon jungle border with Colombia, fears that a huge military assault could drag it into Colombia's civil war or send droves of refugees into Brazil. Brazil also fears that drug traffickers could seek out new markets within its borders.

Also high on the American agenda, however, was rallying support for a consolidation of democratic reforms in neighboring Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

Dr. Albright met briefly with Brazil's president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and discussed democratic reforms, particularly in Peru.

The United States is disturbed by the decision of Brazil and other Latin American nations to quash calls for sanctions against Peru after President Alberto Fujimori's re-election in May amid fraud allegations.

Mr. Lampreia said the United States and Brazil would both urge Peru to carry out recommended democratic reforms, including an overhaul of the judicial system and intelligence services.