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Pubdate: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company Section: Section A; Page 5; Column 1; Foreign Desk Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Barbara Crossette U.S. SENDS 2 TO ASSESS DRUG PROGRAM FOR AFGHANS In a first cautious step toward reducing the near-total isolation of the Taliban, the Bush administration has sent two American narcotics experts to Afghanistan as part of an international team assessing how to help farmers who have ended opium poppy cultivation, United Nations officials said today. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell confirmed that he had approved the trip in a letter last week to Secretary General Kofi Annan. Although experts have no plans to meet the Taliban's leadership, they will meet with farmers and local Taliban officials. United Nations narcotics officials reported earlier this year that it appeared that the Taliban, a militant Islamic group that controls most of Afghanistan, had all but wiped out poppy crops under a ban announced last year. American drug experts have begun their own survey and expect to have final results by early summer. Until this year, Afghanistan was the world's largest producer of opium, the source of much of the heroin sold in Europe. The United Nations Drug Control Program had met resistance from the Clinton administration to any projects to assist Afghans in a drug-eradication program. American policy had been to isolate the Taliban and punish them through United Nations sanctions because of their refusal to turn over Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born Islamic militant wanted in connection with bombings of two American Embassies in Africa. The United States may now have a less rigid policy. "The United States is prepared to fund a United Nations International Drug Control Program proposal in Afghanistan to assist former poppy cultivators hard hit by the ban," General Powell wrote to Mr. Annan on April 16. "However, we want to ensure that assistance benefits the farmers, not the factions, while it also curbs the Afghan drug trade. I have authorized U.S. participation in a U.N.D.C.P.-led mission to Afghanistan to assess the potential for assistance and the cooperation of local authorities." United Nations narcotics officials say that while it is too soon to talk about a long-term program with the Taliban, there is an urgent need to help farmers now approaching the "hunger season" if opium poppy planting is not to resume. General Powell's decision to support a visit to the country by experts is being welcomed by the United Nations as an important step in garnering wider international support for a program that envisages the introduction of alternative crops, agricultural aid and help in establishing industries in rural areas. The two Americans -- James Callahan, the State Department's director of Asian and African narcotics programs, and Thomas Schrettner, a Drug Enforcement Administration officer based in Islamabad, Pakistan -- are part of a team of drug specialists and diplomats from Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. Their visit to Afghanistan is taking place as Mr. Annan reiterates his warning to the Security Council that the future of Afghanistan is very bleak, given the prolonged war there and a recent drought. In a report to the council on Monday, he drew attention to qualms United Nations officials have about sanctions when more than half a million Afghans have been displaced by hunger and many have died of starvation, cold or malnutrition-related illnesses. Sanctions, he wrote to the Council, "cannot be an end in themselves." He also said that the decision by the United States to shut down the Taliban's office in New York had led to Taliban threats to close United Nations offices in Afghanistan and the disruption of peace talks that began last year. Increasingly, he said, the group is dominated by "more radical elements." Today United Nations officials announced a new round of talks with the Afghan leadership. In Berlin, Ruud Lubbers, the high commissioner for refugees, said he would travel to Afghanistan, and called for a cease-fire between the Taliban and their armed opponents so that the needs of refugees could be assessed and aid distributed. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager