BUENOS AIRES (Reuter) Argentina's defense minister denied Thursday he had
come under pressure to involve the military in the fight against
drugtrafficking during a visit by U.S. Southern Command chief Gen. Wesley
Clark.

Defense Minister Jorge Dominguez, responding to media reports that the
real purpose of Clark's twoday visit was to persuade Argentina to expand the
military's duties to include the antidrug fight, told reporters:

``At no moment did we discuss a coordinating role or any different
role,'' he said. ``We don't tell the United States how to tackle their
problems and they don't tell us either.''

The military is forbidden by law from getting involved in the fight
against the illegal drug trade inside Argentine territory. They are allowed
to provide logistical support and gather intelligence abroad.

Clark, who is based in Panama, has met Argentine President Carlos Menem
and the Argentine military's top brass. He said on arrival Wednesday he was
seeking mechanisms to cooperate on drugs with Argentina and other countries
in the region, which need to be on the alert because ``the more success we
have in blocking the flow of drugs to the north, the bigger the risk that the
flow will go in other directions.''

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