WHITE HOUSE DRUG CZAR SAYS COLOMBIA IN 'EMERGENCY'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House drug czar Barry McCaffrey said Friday
that Colombia faced an "emergency situation" with dramatically increased
cocaine production, a major economic crisis and violence from guerrilla groups.

McCaffrey, who visited Colombia last week, told a congressional subcommittee
that President Clinton and other top U.S. officials shared his assessment
about the huge problems the South American nation has to grapple with.

"In Colombia, the melding of guerrilla movements, or in some cases
paramilitary groups, and international drug trafficking organizations has
created an unprecedented threat to the rule of law, democratic institutions
and the very fabric of society," he said.

Asked if Clinton and other officials agreed with his views, McCaffrey said,
"They do share a feeling we have an emergency situation in Colombia ...."

McCaffrey, who has proposed as much as $1 billion in emergency funds for
Colombia and other countries in the region, said a State Department
delegation led by Undersecretary Thomas Pickering would go to Bogota.

Rand Beers, assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law
enforcement affairs, said he would travel with Pickering next week and
assess what Colombia needs to support its anti-drug operations.

Beers said the trip also was designed to reemphasize U.S. support for
Colombia's drug-fighting efforts and for the stalled peace process with the
guerrillas.

Beers echoed McCaffrey's concerns in testimony before a subcommittee of the
House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.

"Colombia stands at a critical crossroads now, and there are considerable
dangers for U.S. interests, but also significant opportunities," he said.

"The policy choices we make in the next several months and the assistance we
provide could have a significant impact on Colombia's future, helping to
determine whether it continues its long, slow descent toward chaos or begins
to recover," he said.

"Colombia's national sovereignty is increasingly threatened by a resurgent
guerrilla movement, a violent illegal paramilitary movement and wealthy
narcotrafficker interests," Beers said.

McCaffrey said Colombia's cocaine production may increase dramatically in
1999, partly reflecting higher-yielding coca under cultivation. He estimated
Colombian cocaine production could reach 250 metric tons this year and that
it could produce six tons of heroin.

Lawmakers said Colombia produces about 80 percent of the world's cocaine and
it has captured 75 percent of the American heroin market.

Republicans blasted the Clinton administration for failing to do enough
earlier to support Colombia.

"The U.S. response under the current administration to both the increasing
drug threat and the growing insurgency menace in Colombia has been benign
neglect at best and gross dereliction at worst," said Representative
Benjamin Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee.

"I hope the alarm bells that General McCaffrey has now sounded aren't too
little too late," he said.

Committee Chairman Dan Burton said he was "glad Colombia is finally on the
radar screen of this administration."