POWELL ADVISES RESUMING COLOMBIA ANTI-DRUG FLIGHTS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell has recommended
resuming U.S.-backed anti-drug flights over Colombia that were halted two
years ago after the deaths of a U.S. missionary and her baby in Peru, U.S.
officials said on Tuesday.

The officials, who asked not to be named, said President Bush was likely
approve the recommendation soon, possibly in time for Thursday's one-year
anniversary of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's taking office.

Restarting the "Airbridge Denial" program, under which U.S. equipment and
intelligence would help the Colombian military track and possibly force down
suspected drug flights, would be a boost to Uribe, who took office pledging
to crack down on Colombia's Marxist rebels and on its illegal drug trade.

"It's done," said one U.S. official. "We hope the president can sign it
either today or tomorrow."

Powell made his recommendation after lengthy negotiations with Colombia on
safety procedures to prevent a recurrence of the 2001 incident in which a
small aircraft was mistakenly shot down over neighboring Peru, killing
missionary Veronica Bowers and her daughter, Charity.

Colombian and Peruvian officials, who view the flights as a critical way to
fight the drug trade, wanted them to resume last year and the delay has
frustrated many in the region.

U.S. officials last week said the final issue to be resolved with Colombia
concerned U.S.-supplied and maintained ground-based radar systems and
whether the data they generate was covered by the agreement.

Two weeks ago diplomatic sources said Colombia sent the United States a
letter confirming the radars would be covered. However, one official said
Washington sought assurances that the data would only be used to stop drug
flights in parts of Colombia covered in the accord and Bogota had agreed to
this.

While the Colombia deal appears on the verge of completion, efforts to
design safeguards with Peru are far less advanced.

One U.S. official said Washington had given Lima assurances that it would
have "some sort of interdiction program up and running by the end of the
year."