Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jun 1998
Source: Dallas Morning News
Contact:  http://www.dallasnews.com
Author: Tod Robberson

COLOMBIA DENIES REPORT IT WILL TEST HERBICIDE

BOGOTA -- Colombian officials denied a published report that said the
government had agreed to test a controversial herbicide on coca crops
despite the manufacturer's own warnings against its use.

The officials, led by Environment Minister Eduardo Verano, said in
interviews Wednesday that the Colombian government has made no such
decision regarding tests of the chemical herbicide tebuthiuron, sold
commercially in the United States under the brand name Spike.

The New York Times reported in a front-page story Saturday that the
government, bowing to U.S. pressure, had agreed to test tebuthiuron to kill
coca crops. The article contained no quotes,  citations or other data to
support the assertion that testing had been approved.

The story was reprinted last weekend in several American newspapers,
including The Dallas Morning News, the Chicago Tribune and the
international edition of The Miami Herald.

Andrew Rosenthal, foreign editor of The New York Times, declined to comment
on the story or the government's response.

Mr. Verano said that the government still was reviewing preliminary studies
of the herbicide and that research teams were "deeply divided" over whether
to allow its application on Colombian soil, even under test conditions. He
added that no tests on coca crops have been approved and that the
government still must review and accept a testing design before such steps
are taken.

Mr. Verano added that, as the chief government representative on the
matter, he holds the final say on whether to conduct tests with tebuthiuron.

The National Police chief, Gen. Rosso Jose Serrano,  and the director of
anti-narcotics enforcement, Col. Leonardo Gallego, have spoken in favor of
testing tebuthiuron, arguing that it can be applied to crops more
effectively and with less danger to crop-dusting pilots than the chemical
herbicide currently being used.

U.S. and Colombian scientists currently are trying to find ways that
tebuthiuron can be tested, and ultimately put into full-time use, while
allaying fears of international environmental groups that it could denude
large patches of tropical land where it would be applied.

"They are proceeding with the design of the experimental stage, and that is
where we are now," Mr. Verano said. "Tebuthiuron will not touch Colombian
soil, it will not be used on any Colombian land, until a design protocol is
submitted and approved. This has not happened."

He noted that tebuthiuron's manufacturer, U.S.-based Dow AgroSciences, had
issued a statement in April warning, "Tebuthiuron is not labeled for use on
any crops in Colombia, and it is our desire that the product not be used
for coca eradication as well."

Mr. Verano said: "This chemical could be very dangerous to the environment.
We will not agree to test it until we are absolutely certain that the tests
can be conducted safely. That is why we have not yet approved even the
design for a test."

A multidisciplinary national anti-narcotics council also has received
design plans for such a test and has agreed to the concept of testing
tebuthiuron, but the panel has not moved beyond the review stage, said
Bernardo Reina, adviser to the council's director.

"We have approved the concept of a test only.  The design still must be
approved," he said. "There has been no government approval for testing to
begin."

Copyright 1998 The Dallas Morning News

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