(16 May 2001)
1. Wide view of US State Department briefing on the Andean Regional Initiative
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Brownfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs "The Andean Regional Initiative is not a counter-drug initiative. It is a strategy that has three elements to it. And since we are a very simple people we start them all with the letter 'D' -- Democracy, Development and Drugs. Counter drug obviously is a part, a very important part of the Andean Regional Initiative. But it is an attempt to integrate a coherent approach that covers all elements of the problems and threats affecting the Andean region, and indirectly the United States of America."
3. Mid view of map showing levels of Cocoa plant cultivation in for Colombia year 2000
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Brownfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs "We also acknowledged, and I believe to a certain extent we've taken some criticism for the speed....the pace with which spillover was proceeding from Colombia to other countries. I would argue that some of that criticism....I would argue that a lot of that criticism was exaggerated. Having said that, we do acknowledge that the Colombia threat, the Colombia cancer if you will, of drugs, and insurgencies, and paramilitaries, and economic problems that create trans-border movements of people and drugs and criminals and guerillas, is in fact a problem that we will continue to deal with in the years ahead."
5. Mid view of people at briefing.
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) R. Rand Beers, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs "This last year for the first time in a number of years we began to see new growth in Peru in terms of cocoa cultivation. While the eradication effort there outstripped this new cocoa, it is a troubling feature of the drug environment there and we want to ensure that it does not become a significant factor."
7. Mid view of Beers
8. Mid view of briefing
STORYLINE:
U-S officials have unveiled a new funding plan to help Latin American nations fight the war on illegal narcotics and to give them economic aid.
Known as the Andean Regional Initiative, it earmarks more than 880 (m) million U-S dollars for aid to seven countries in South America.
The countries to be funded in the programme are Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
U-S officials say the Andean initiative will provide additional U-S dollars for anti-narcotics programmes, along with development assistance for economic aid.
The State Department also stressed that the programme seeks to balance anti-drug funding with other aid in an overall assistance package for the region.
Less than half of the aid will be for Colombia and only half will be for law enforcement and security assistance.
Officials also admit that the effort to combat what they call cross border spillover of illegal activities between Colombia and its neighbours will continue in the years ahead.
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