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Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jan 2000
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2000 The Arizona Republic
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Author: AP Wire Service

ALBRIGHT CHECKS ON COLOMBIA'S DRUG-FIGHTING EFFORTS

CARTAGENA, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright got a
firsthand look Saturday at Colombian efforts to intercept cocaine
shipments at this steamy Caribbean port. She came away impressed with
government sleuth's 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 was also 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 new 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 just 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
Saturday in clashes between leftist rebels and security forces
hundreds of miles away, near Bogota, the capital.