U.S. TO TRIPLE ANTI-DRUG AID TO PERU

The U.S. plans to triple its antinarcotics funding to Peruvian President
Alejandro Toledo's government this year and hopes to announce the
resumption of drug-surveillance flights during President Bush's visit to
Peru next month, U.S. Ambassador John Hamilton said. He told reporters in
Lima that U.S. antidrug aid to Peru will increase this year from about $50
million "to more than $150 million." At least $80 million will finance
alternative-development programs that help farmers switch from growing
coca, the raw material of cocaine , to planting other crops. The rest of
the aid will support interdiction, eradication and demand-reduction
programs, including $30 million for more helicopters. Peru is the world's
second-largest producer of coca leaf and coca paste. He said Washington
hopes to announce "as soon as possible" the resumption of drug-surveillance
flights that were suspended last April after a Peruvian jet mistakenly shot
down a small plane, killing a U.S. missionary and her 7-month-old daughter.