ALBRIGHT OBSERVES EFFORTS TO FIGHT WAR ON DRUGS

CARTAGENA, Colombia - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright received a
firsthand look yesterday at Colombian efforts to intercept cocaine
shipments at this steamy Caribbean port. She came away impressed with
government sleuths' high-tech tools - and the methods drug lords use
to circumvent them.

"That's fantastic," Albright said when shown an Internet hookup that
allows Colombia to connect with 286 ports in 80 countries as part of
an integrated counterdrug campaign.

She also was shown manifests purporting to document legal exports that
were an attempt by drug traders to conceal cocaine or heroin shipments.

"They certainly are ingenious," Albright said.

President Andres Pastrana, appearing with Albright at a news
conference on the grounds of the seaside guest house where she stayed
Friday night, cited the near-dismantling of cartels in Medellin and
Cali as an indication of Colombia's progress in the drug war.

"We can and will do more," he said as three Coast Guard speed boats
armed with M-60 rifles deployed in waters yards away. He said European
donors will meet in June or July to make pledges to assist Colombia in
fighting the drug trade.

Albright said the two countries are sharing a "very important moment"
and are "fully in harmony" on high priority objectives.

While Albright was in northern Colombia, 14 people were killed
yesterday in clashes between leftist rebels and security forces
hundreds of miles away, near Bogota, the capital.

The Colombian government and the rebels also held peace talks
yesterday in a southern jungle. It was not clear if the attack was
meant as a show of force to coincide with the peace talks or
Albright's visit.

Albright's visit was further evidence of the growing alliance between
Washington and Colombia, the source of 80 percent of all the cocaine
used in the United States. Colombian drug lords also have emerged in
the past decade as a major force in heroin trafficking.

Later yesterday, Albright flew to Panama, where she inspected the
operation of the Panama Canal and met with President Mireya Moscoso.

She expressed fascination with the maze of buttons, monitors and
levers at the Miraflores Lock near the Pacific side of the canal. She
spoke as a Japanese vessel that originated in Senegal was passing
through with a cargo of phosphate heading for Vancouver, B.C.

She said the U.S. decision to formally surrender the canal to Panama
two weeks ago was the right one.

Albright was to spend last night in Oaxaca in southern Mexico before
meetings today with government officials.