The transcript follows. She'll be talking about coca eradication and U.S. policy toward Colombia. I am referring to Scott Wilson's article last Sunday about the effects of aerial spraying in southern Colombia. The aerial eradication campaign begun in December against coca cultivation in Colombia's Putumayo department is an extension of a program that the Colombian government has been carrying out for more than 10 years. This is not the first time that coca crops in the Putumayo have been sprayed.
Every effort is made to ensure that only drug crops are sprayed.
The Colombian government investigates when there are allegations that aerial spraying damaged legitimate agriculture. Deliberate intercropping of food crops with drug crops to avoid aerial eradication is not legitimate agriculture. It's also important to put our cooperative efforts with Colombia into the regional context. This is a regional problem that will require a regional solution. The US is supporting Colombia's efforts to enforce its laws.