Colombia moves to extradite drug traffickers
ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOGOTA, Colombia The Senate has approved a bill to reestablish
extradition of Colombian drug traffickers, sending the legislation toward
final enactment.

The Senate voted 5314 Thursday in favor of the bill in the Second of
eight congressional votes ~ that the legislation must pass this year if
extradition is to be revived.

The legislation offers exceptions for people who turn themselves in or
have already been sentenced in Colombia, meaning the jailed lead ers of
the Cali drug cartel, would not be eligible for extradition.

Extradition of Colombian citi zens was banned under the nation s 1991
constitution, which was en acted amid a decadelong wave of drug violence
in which thousands were killed.

The United States has long pressured Colombia to revive extradition,
which it considers a key tool in fighting international drug trafficking,
without exceptions.

The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment, but the terms of the Senate
legislation do not appear to meet Washington's criteria for a strong
bill.