COLOMBIA, MYANMAR URGE ALTERNATIVE CROPS

Leaders from two of the world's major sources of narcotics told a U.N. drug
conference Tuesday that programs to wipe out illicit crops will fail
without money to help farmers grow alternative crops.

The United States has been noncommittal to a U.N. proposal to provide
financial incentives to Third World farmers to stop growing cannabis, opium
poppies and coca, the raw ingredient of cocaine.

President Ernesto Samper of Colombia told reporters that "forced
eradication" will fail in the long term "if not accompanied by crop
substitution programs."

The interior minister of Myanmar, Col. Tin Hlaing, said lack of funds could
sabotage the plan to eliminate illicit narcotic crops in 10 years.

From Register news services