COLOMBIA CLAIMS REBELS ARE LOSING

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombian rebels suffered their heaviest losses in
months over the weekend as Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright visited
the war-torn South American nation to promote a huge military and economic
aid package.

Gains by drug-financed rebels have made Colombia the Western Hemisphere's
No. 1 security threat in the eyes of U.S. officials. But the military says
a battlefield turnaround may already be taking place.

The military claims 44 guerrillas were killed Saturday when ground troops
and helicopter gunships repelled a rebel assault on a town 30 miles
southeast of the capital, Bogota. Six soldiers and police died, as well as
eight civilians.

Several wounded guerrillas surrendered and television images showed a slain
comrade being carried out of the battle zone. It was the highest rebel
death toll since hundreds of guerrilla fighters died in a nationwide
offensive last July.

Separate fighting raged yesterday in northern Bolivar state, where at least
13 guerrillas have been killed, Gen. Fernando Tapias, the armed services
chief, told reporters. Rebel bombings of power lines also left Colombia's
second-largest city, Medellin, without power for several hours in the morning.

While gunfire rattled the Andean mountain town of Guayabetal on Saturday,
Albright was meeting with President Andres Pastrana in a Caribbean port
hundreds of miles away.

Albright, who also made stops in Panama and Mexico on a three-day tour,
discussed a proposed $1.6 billion emergency aid package for Colombia, the
source of 80 percent of the world's cocaine.

The aid plan, which must be approved by Congress, is earmarked for fighting
narcotics, not guerrillas. But most of the money will pay for helicopters
and training for two new army battalions that will push into southern
jungles where the rebels are heavily involved in the cocaine trade.

U.S. officials admit privately they hope the anti-narcotics aid will also
help level the military playing field and even pressure the rebels in peace
talks.