Press Stakeout with Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Prior to meeting with President Pastrana, Cartagena, Colombia, January 14, 2000

Press Stakeout with Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Prior to meeting with President Pastrana, Cartagena, Colombia, January 14, 2000

Press Stakeout with Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Prior to meeting with President Pastrana, Cartagena, Colombia

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
(Cartagena, Colombia)
For immediate release
January 14, 200O

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me say what a tremendous pleasure it is for me to be here with President Pastrana in Cartagena. I have looked forward to this trip for some time because I so admire what President Pastrana is doing for Colombia. I have come to consult with President Pastrana about Plan Colombia and to see what his plans are and how the Colombian people plan to support it. Colombia has many friends in this hemisphere and the United States is among them. President Pastrana was elected because he talked about peace and democratic institutions and human rights for Colombia and that is the best possible vision for this country. In closing I would just like to have you note that this is the first trip that I have taken in the 21st century and I hope that it will in fact signal that in this new millenium there is a new relationship in the Americas and I am delighted to be here again with President Pastrana.

QUESTION: Good evening Mrs. Albright. You have to evaluate the results achieved by Colombia with regard to the fight against drugs, and your opinion is going to weigh certainly in the U.S. Congress for their approval for assistance for Plan Colombia to eradicate drug trafficking in this country. Are there any conditions that they would apply with regard to human rights or the subject of forced disappearances or the subject of extradition, and you have said that this plan is stalled. Why do think you should help Colombia now?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well let me first of all say, as I said in my opening remarks, we are very impressed with Plan Colombia because it is a comprehensive plan in order to deal with the issues that are so important for Colombia, not only the issue of narcotrafficking, but the peace process and the economy and helping the social situation, so it is a comprehensive plan that President Pastrana has designed that we want to support. Obviously the issue of human rights is very important as well as the extradition, and as we discuss this issue with Congress, and I have already begun to talk to Members of Congress. They are obviously interested in the progress across the board on all those issues and those are issues that are important to the people of Colombia. That's what this is all about, is what the people of Colombia want and how they are going to support their President on this.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, according to estimates, coca production in Colombia has increased by 140% since 1989. Are you convinced that this Plan Colombia will finally bring down the supply of coca vis-à-vis the United States?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: We do know that various plans in neighboring countries have in fact cut the production and the growth by huge percentages and we believe that if followed through with the determination that has been shown already and needs to be pursued, that this is how success is achieved, but it clearly takes hard work and determination.

Thank you.

Cartagena, Colombia
14 de enero de 2000

As of May 17, 2001, this document was also available online at http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwhma05.html