>From: "Peter McWilliams" <peter@mcwilliams.com>
>Subject: Albright on the not-so-dim
>Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 14:49:22 -0800
>X-Mozilla-Status: 8001
>X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
>
>You bet your fat ass they're "ingenious" Big All!
>
>Enjoy,
>
>Peter
>
>--------
>
>Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jan 2000
>Source: Seattle Times (WA)
>Copyright: 2000 The Seattle Times Company
>Contact: opinion@seatimes.com
>Address: P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111
>Fax: (206) 382-6760
>Website: http://www.seattletimes.com/
>Author:  George Gedda, The Associated Press
>
>
>ALBRIGHT OBSERVES EFFORTS TO FIGHT WAR ON DRUGS
>
>
>CARTAGENA, Colombia - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright received a
>firsthand look yesterday at Colombian efforts to intercept cocaine
>shipments at this steamy Caribbean port. She came away impressed with
>government sleuths' high-tech tools - and the methods drug lords use
>to circumvent them.
>
>
>"That's fantastic," Albright said when shown an Internet hookup that
>allows Colombia to connect with 286 ports in 80 countries as part of
>an integrated counterdrug campaign.
>
>
>She also was shown manifests purporting to document legal exports that
>were an attempt by drug traders to conceal cocaine or heroin shipments.
>
>
>"They certainly are ingenious," Albright said.
>
>
>President Andres Pastrana, appearing with Albright at a news
>conference on the grounds of the seaside guest house where she stayed
>Friday night, cited the near-dismantling of cartels in Medellin and
>Cali as an indication of Colombia's progress in the drug war.
>
>
>"We can and will do more," he said as three Coast Guard speed boats
>armed with M-60 rifles deployed in waters yards away. He said European
>donors will meet in June or July to make pledges to assist Colombia in
>fighting the drug trade.
>
>
>Albright said the two countries are sharing a "very important moment"
>and are "fully in harmony" on high priority objectives.
>
>
>While Albright was in northern Colombia, 14 people were killed
>yesterday in clashes between leftist rebels and security forces
>hundreds of miles away, near Bogota, the capital.
>
>
>The Colombian government and the rebels also held peace talks
>yesterday in a southern jungle. It was not clear if the attack was
>meant as a show of force to coincide with the peace talks or
>Albright's visit.
>
>
>Albright's visit was further evidence of the growing alliance between
>Washington and Colombia, the source of 80 percent of all the cocaine
>used in the United States. Colombian drug lords also have emerged in
>the past decade as a major force in heroin trafficking.
>
>
>Later yesterday, Albright flew to Panama, where she inspected the
>operation of the Panama Canal and met with President Mireya Moscoso.
>
>
>She expressed fascination with the maze of buttons, monitors and
>levers at the Miraflores Lock near the Pacific side of the canal. She
>spoke as a Japanese vessel that originated in Senegal was passing
>through with a cargo of phosphate heading for Vancouver, B.C.
>
>
>She said the U.S. decision to formally surrender the canal to Panama
>two weeks ago was the right one.
>
>
>Albright was to spend last night in Oaxaca in southern Mexico before
>meetings today with government officials.
>
>
>================================================================
>
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