White House fact sheet, January 11, 2000

White House fact sheet, January 11, 2000

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (Grand Canyon, Arizona)

January 11, 2000

FACT SHEET

Colombia Assistance Package

Colombia and its democratically elected government are facing an urgent crisis that has narcotics, military and economic dimensions. Narco-traffickers in Colombia now supply about 80 percent of the cocaine used in the United States.

Colombian President Andres Pastrana, who took office in August 1998, has developed a comprehensive, integrated approach to addressing Colombia's problems. Plan Colombia would strengthen the Colombian economy and democracy, and fight narcotics trafficking. The Colombian government estimates that Plan Colombia will cost $7.5 billion and is dedicating $4 billion of its own resources. It has also asked for the participation and help of the United States and other nations.

The United States has a vital interest in the success of this plan. For this reason, the President is proposing an expanded comprehensive program; as a result, U.S. support over this year and next will total more than $1.6 billion.

The five major components of U.S. assistance are:

-- Helping the Colombian Government push into the coca-growing regions of southern Colombia, which are now dominated by insurgent guerillas. Funds will help train special counter-narcotics battalions, purchase 30 Blackhawk and 33 Huey helicopters, and provide other support.

-- Upgrading Colombian capability to aggressively interdict cocaine and cocaine traffickers. Funds will be used for radar, aircraft and airfield upgrades, and improved anti-narcotics intelligence gathering.

-- Increasing coca crop eradication. The Administration will propose $96 million to purchase equipment that will enable the Colombian National Police to eradicate more coca and poppy fields.

-- Promoting alternative crops and jobs. The Administration will propose $145 million over the next two years to provide economic alternatives for Colombian farmers who now grow coca and poppy plants.

-- Increasing protection of human rights, expanding the rule of law, and promoting the peace process. The Administration will propose $93 million for new programs that will help the judicial system, and crack down on money laundering.

This initiative will be submitted as part of the President's Budget. It will add to our current support of more than $150 million each year a $954 million emergency supplemental request for FY 2000, as well as an increase of in FY 2001 of $318 million.

The Administration looks forward to working with Congress to help Colombia confront it current problems, while reducing the supply of drugs coming to the United States to help both their national interest and our own.

(end text of fact sheet)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)

As of March 13, 2000, this document is also available at http://www.usia.gov/regional/ar/colombia/fact11.htm