Bush Promises Support For Colombia

With Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at his side, President Bush expressed confidence Thursday that Uribe will make the world know that "Colombia is a nation of law and human rights and human dignity."

Allegations of rights abuses by the Colombian military and police are being investigated by authorities independent of the government, Mr. Bush said.

"A couple of points ... are important to understand," Bush said after he and Uribe ended talks at Mr. Bush's Texas ranch that focused heavily on terrorism and narcotics trafficking.

"One, that there is an independent judiciary, in other words, independent from government, that will adjudicate these disputes; secondly, that there is a new prosecutor reporting to the independent judiciary that will follow through on the cases; thirdly, that he is committed to seeing to it as best as possible that progress be made on these cases."

Also, Mr. Bush promised continued aid to help fight narcoterrorism and to enhance Colombia's economy and its economic institutions. "America will continue to stand with the people of Colombia," he said.

For Uribe, the trek to Texas came at a critical moment in Colombia where rebels, funded by narcotics trade, kidnapping and extortion, have been struggling to topple the government and establish a Marxist-style state. Outlawed right-wing paramilitary forces also have been battling the rebels. The 40-year-old conflict kills more than 3,000 people every year, mostly civilians, with allegations that human rights abuses are being committed on all sides.

Uribe said the human rights question "was discussed with great seriousness and with great respect. Our security policy must be sustainable, and in order for it to be sustainable, there must be respect for human rights."

Their meeting comes just a day after the State Department announced that Colombia's government and armed forces have met human rights standards needed to qualify for full funding of U.S. assistance programs. Colombia has received more than $3 billion in U.S. aid during the past five years as part of an effort to wipe out cocaine and heroin production and crush the long-running leftist insurgency.

Just this week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice certified that Colombia's government and armed forces have met congressional human rights standards to qualify for full funding of U.S. aid programs. Had she not certified that, the department estimated Colombia would have lost about $70 million in aid.

William F. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, complained that Rice's certification was "based on only the narrowest reading of the law and the thinnest of evidence."

AI and other rights organizations accuse the Colombian authorities of major abuses in their efforts to quell the narcotics-financed rebellion of the main guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. A principal allegation is that Uribe's government has failed to crack down on outlawed rightist militias.

In their discussions on Colombia's rights record, Mr. Bush said, "I listened intensely and believe that he is interested in following through on these cases so that the world will hear loud and clear that Colombia is a nation of law and human rights and human dignity."

"Colombia faces a threat from terrorism funded by drug trafficking," Uribe said. "This is a threat that can affect our entire neighborhood, that can affect our entire continent, because when Colombian terrorists cannot kidnap within our borders, they're forced to kidnap outside, in our neighboring countries."

"This kind of terrorism knows no limits. It knows no ethics. And that is why it must be defeated in Colombia," Uribe said. "We must do this by getting cooperation from our neighboring countries.

He defended the "justice and peace" law, which aims to dismantle paramilitary forces but has been criticized as being too lenient on ex-fighters responsible for rights abuses.

Uribe said the debate shouldn't be about the law. "The debate should be about the need to maintain a security policy, which is the only thing that will eventually lead to the end of terrorism."

Uribe said more U.S. support was important to end a four-decade rebellion by leftist guerrillas funded by narcotics money, and he thanked Bush for committing his administration to seek more aid from Congress.

"We cannot leave this task half-finished," he said.

Earlier in the day, Uribe and his wife flew to the ranch in a helicopter, and Mr. Bush and his wife, Laura, pulled up in the president's white pickup truck to meet them.

"How are you? Welcome to my ranch," Mr. Bush said in Spanish to members of the press.

Mr. Bush was in a playful mood as the foursome climbed into the truck and rode off. CBS News Correspondent Mark Knoller reports that the Colombian president climbed in the front seat of the large pickup with Mr. Bush, spouses in the back.

When a reporter asked if Mr. Bush actually had a driver's license, the president replied "Si," which is Spanish for "yes."

Uribe was visiting Texas after recently signing the "justice and peace" law, which aims to dismantle paramilitary forces that also are heavily involved in drug trafficking and reintegrate them into the legal side of Colombian society. Critics say the new law goes too easy on criminals.

On his way to the meeting, Uribe stopped Wednesday in Houston to try to assure foreign investors that his country is stable and brimming with economic opportunity despite civil strife. Colombian officials have been holding meetings in Houston and other cities asking foreign investors to help develop new, unexplored oil fields in the South American country.

"In terms of security, we are winning but we haven't won yet," Uribe said in Houston. "Without security, there is no possibility for investment, for new jobs."