Bush Declines Colombia’s Request That U.S. Join Talks

WASHINGTON —  President Bush on Tuesday rejected a plea from Colombian President Andres Pastrana for the United States to join the peace talks that his government is holding with Marxist guerrillas. But in their 45-minute meeting, Bush also vowed to work with Congress to expand trade with Colombia as a way to stimulate lawful commerce in that beleaguered nation.

A spokesman for Pastrana said afterward that the Colombian president was thrilled by Bush’s offer to increase trade.

As for the peace talks, Bush told reporters that he turned Pastrana down on U.S. involvement in the negotiations because he considers the country’s conflict a domestic issue.

“This is an issue that the Colombian people and the Colombian president can deal with,” Bush said during an Oval Office photo session with Pastrana.

“We’ll be glad to help Colombia in any way to make the peace,” he added. “We’ll be glad to help the Colombian economy through trade. But I won’t be present for the discussions.”

Bush’s words were consistent with a long-standing U.S. policy of not dealing with insurgents, but his unequivocal refusal was a blow to the Colombian president.

Pastrana had suggested a U.S. role--not as negotiator but as observer--most recently during a meeting with American reporters here Monday. Pastrana ended a four-day visit to the U.S. after his meeting with Bush.

Pastrana--like Bush the son of a former president--and rebel leaders agreed this month to resume stalled peace talks aimed at ending four decades of guerrilla warfare in the South American nation.

Although he rejected Pastrana’s request, Bush praised the Colombian, saying: “President Pastrana is a courageous leader who’s dealing with very difficult problems.”

Aides to both presidents said Pastrana updated Bush on the implementation of “Plan Colombia,” a $1.3-billion package of military and social aid approved by Congress last year to help the Colombian government combat drug traffickers.

Bush also pledged to work to lessen U.S. demand for narcotics. Experts believe that 90% of all cocaine that Americans consume comes from Colombia.

Bush told reporters: “I explained to the president that we’re fully aware of the narcotics that are manufactured in his country. But I also told him that many of them wouldn’t be manufactured if our nation didn’t use them. And we’ve got to work together to not only help Colombia but help our own country.”

Pastrana made a strong--and evidently persuasive--case to Bush that Colombia should receive the same tariff reductions given to Caribbean and Central American nations under an accord reached last year.

Colombia, which has a 20% unemployment rate, the highest in Latin America, wasn’t part of that trade pact. Instead, Colombia is a beneficiary of the 1991 Andean Trade Preferences Act, which does not cover textiles and apparel--two vital Colombian exports.

Referring to Pastrana’s argument for expanding the Andean trade pact, which was agreed to during the first Bush administration, the president said: “The president made a very strong case for broadening the trade agreement. I will bring up the matter with [U.S. Trade Representative Robert B.] Zoellick.”

Pastrana is the second Latin American leader whom Bush has met in 11 days, part of a busy stretch of personal diplomacy for Bush even as he prepared to submit his first budget to Congress and begin campaigning for his $1.6-trillion tax cut.

In the next six weeks, Bush will host Salvadoran President Francisco Flores, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah II of Jordan.