Pubdate: Wed, 14 Mar 2001
Source: Miami Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2001 The Miami Herald
Contact:  One Herald Plaza, Miami FL 33132-1693
Fax: (305) 376-8950
Website: http://www.herald.com/
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Author: Frank Davies

SENATORS PUSHING FOR ANDEAN TRADE BILL

Boost To War On Drugs Eyed

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan coalition of senators including Bob Graham,
Florida Democrat, wants to extend and expand trade benefits for
Colombia and three other Andean nations, pitching their bill as a
boost to the war on drugs.

Backers of the Andean trade bill said Tuesday that Caribbean Basin
benefits, approved last year, are luring some apparel companies from
Colombia to the Caribbean, with the possible loss of 100,000 jobs in a
country plagued by civil strife.

``The war on drugs in the end will be won by trade and an expanding
economy as much as any other single activity,'' said Graham, who
returned from a weekend trip to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

In his recent visit to Washington, President Andres Pastrana of
Colombia urged passage of the trade benefits. The Colombian military,
with U.S. support, has begun an aerial eradication campaign against
coca production that many officials fear will add to the nations high
unemployment.

``You can't ask people to fumigate themselves into starvation,''
Graham said.

Parity sought

The measure would extend the Andean Trade Preference Act of 1991, due
to expire in December, through 2005 and would grant duty-free,
quota-free treatment to clothing knit, assembled or cut in the Andean
countries using fabric from the United States. That would provide
parity with the Caribbean Basin benefits.

The bill is also sponsored by four other senators involved in Latin
American issues: Democrats Joe Biden of Delaware and Chris Dodd of
Connecticut, and Republicans Mike DeWine of Ohio and Chuck Hagel of
Nebraska.

``There's no sense in investing all the money we have in the anti-drug
effort and not be of assistance on trade issues,'' DeWine said. ``This
isn't just about trade -- its about national security.''

The Bush administration has given general support to the measure.
President Bush told Pastrana last month he would back an extension of
the Andean trade act.

``I think the administration will be able to work with us on this,''
Hagel said.

Graham said he expected that the success of the Caribbean Basin
benefits coupled with a sense that ``Colombia needs our help'' should
aid passage of the new measure.

Governors complain

Meanwhile, four provincial governors from Colombias coca-growing
regions came to Washington to complain that U.S.-sponsored efforts to
eradicate coca with aerial spraying were also destroying food crops
and causing health hazards.

Gov. Ivan Gerardo Guerrero of Putumayo, along with governors from
Tolima, Cauca and Narino, said Tuesday the Pastrana government had not
consulted them on the program and called for an end to spraying herbicides.

State Department officials on Monday defended the eradication
effort.

Graham said he saw during the weekend that the program was clearly
aimed at large, coca-growing areas.
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