Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 15:22:18 -0600 (CST) From: Dennis Grammenos <dgrammen-AT-prairienet.org> Subject: M-I: AFP: US defends military aid to Colombia ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 15:15:52 -0600 (CST) From: Dennis Grammenos <dgrammen-AT-ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> To: csn-l-AT-postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu Subject: AFP: US defends military aid to Colombia ================================= "To the extent that guerrillas are narcotics traffickers, they would obviously face the prospect of American-assisted Colombian police and Colombian military"... ____________________ =================================AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE Friday, 3 April 1998 US defends military aid to Colombia ----------------------------------- WASHINGTON -- The United States is helping Colombia fight narcotics trafficking but some of its military aid may be used against guerrillas involved in the drug trade, the State Department said Friday. "This aid will go to fight narcotics, not to fight a civil war, spokesman James Rubin said. "To the extent that guerrillas are narcotics traffickers, they would obviously face the prospect of American-assisted Colombian police and Colombian military," he added. The United States provides training to Colombian troops and equipment including fixed-wing aircraft, spare parts, river patrol aircraft and communications equipment, he said. The equipment is provided to military units which have been subjected to an "extensive vetting process to detect human rights abuse," Rubin added. The State Department also brushed aside suggestions that its military program with Colombia could help the government in its battle against guerrilla forces. Rubin told the insurgents that if they don't want to confront US-assisted forces in Colombia, "they should get themselves out of the narcotics business." The State Department spokesman also said that American Thomas Fiore, who had been held since March 23 by the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), "is safe." But officials declined to give details about the US national who escaped this week, citing concerns for the safety of the other hostages including three Americans. Copyright 1998 Agence France Presse ___________________________________________________________________ ************************************************************************ * COLOMBIA SUPPORT NETWORK: To subscribe to CSN-L send request to * * listserv-AT-postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu SUB CSN-L Firstname Lastname * * (Direct questions or comments about CSN-L to csncu-AT-prairienet.org) * * VISIT THE COLOMBIA SUPPORT NETWORK WEBSITE AT http://www.igc.org/csn * * For more info contact CSN at P.O. Box 1505, Madison WI 53701 * * (608) 257-8753 fax: (608) 255-6621 csn-AT-igc.apc.org * ************************************************************************ --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005