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Clinton to seek $1 bn more for Colombia-Post

WASHINGTON: President Bill Clinton will propose a new aid package of more than $1 billion for Colombia over two years to fight the narcotics trade and bolster the country's democracy, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Quoting sources that refused to be identified, the Post said Clinton will ask for half the money as a supplemental appropriation for this year and the rest in his fiscal 2001 budget request he will send to Congress on Feb. 7.

The Post said the final package was still being discussed among various branches of the administration, and the White House planned to brief Congress on the plan next week.

Republicans in Congress have supported increased drug-fighting money for Colombia but want the money to go directly to the police.

The Clinton administration, with strong support from the Pentagon, has argued only the Colombian military could defeat the narcotics traffickers and the money should go as broader aid to the government of Colombian President Andres Pastrana.

Pastrana's popularity has declined since winning election by a large margin 18 months ago, in part because of an inability to stop the drug trafficking, a lack of results in negotiating with rebel groups and a souring economy.

Congressional debate on the issue is expected to start the first week of February when a series of hearings on Colombia is planned.

Colombia receives the third largest amount of U.S. foreign aid behind Egypt and Israel. It got nearly $300 million last year and is earmarked for more than $200 million in the current budget-Reuters