(22 Oct 1997) Spanish/Nat
U-S president Bill Clinton's top drug adviser said on Wednesday that Latin American nations are ready to fight together against drugs.
Retired General Barry McCaffrey, America's drugs czar, was speaking after returning from a tour of five Latin American countries, ending with Colombia.
President Bill Clinton's drug policy advisor returned on Wednesday after touring Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and for the last three days, Colombia.
Barry McCaffrey's trip could signal the start of greater co-operation between the American and Colombian governments - with both U-S and Colombian troops working together.
McCaffrey said the trip signalled a change of mood across the whole region.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"That concept was very well received. To stop the finger pointing process of bilateral confrontation and move to a higher order of multinational cooperation. I think a lot of that change in thinking is not U-S leadership but instead a growing recognition of the terrible impact of drug abuse on all of our societies."
SUPER CAPTION: Barry McCaffrey, White House Drug Policy Director
He added he believed most ordinary Colombians were against the drug trade.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We have great confidence. There are millions of Colombians, 37 million people in this great nation and most of them are not involved in the production or trafficking of drugs."
SUPER CAPTION: Barry McCaffrey, White House Drug Policy Director
While in Colombia McCaffrey met with scandal-tainted President Ernesto Samper.
The meeting between broke a two-year long moratorium on high-level contacts.
McCaffrey said Washington is already looking beyond Samper, hoping Colombians will choose a new incumbent in May's presidential elections.
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