[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             TRANSFER OF TITLE TO COUNTERNARCOTICS AIRCRAFT

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 22, 1994

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Foreign Affairs has long 
been monitoring the operation of the Department of State's Bureau of 
International Narcotics matters airwing. Due to concerns about the 
misuse of aircraft provided for counternarcotics purposes, the 
Congress, in 1986, required the Department of State to retain title to 
all such aircraft provided to foreign countries. This provision of law 
had the unintended consequence of creating an expensive airwing within 
the Department of State.
  In the International Narcotics Control Act of 1992, Public Law 102-
583, the Congress allowed the President to transfer title to narcotics 
control aircraft to foreign countries if to do so was in the national 
interest of the United States. The legislative history to accompany 
this act required the Department of State to report to the Congress on 
its plans to transfer title to such aircraft.
  The committee has received a response from the Department on its 
preliminary assessments regarding the transfer of aircraft title. I 
would commend this to my colleagues attention and note that the 
committee will make available for Members review the more detailed 
Western Hemisphere counternarcotics strategy when it is submitted by 
the executive branch.


                                     U.S. Department of State,

                                Washington, DC, February 14, 1994.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of 
         Representatives.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter of November 30 
     to Assistant Secretary Robert Gelbard asking for information 
     on the possible transfer of U.S. Government-owned 
     counternarcotics aircraft to foreign countries. I regret that 
     the Department has taken so long to answer your inquiry, but 
     this is an issue which Ambassador Gelbard wanted reviewed 
     carefully after he was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary 
     of the Bureau of International Narcotics Matters (INM).
       I can assure you that the Department is fully aware of the 
     Committee's concerns about the size and expense of the INM 
     Air Wing. We will continue to look for ways to reduce its 
     costs while retaining key aviation support for existing 
     counternarcotics programs and the ability to respond quickly 
     to future challenges and opportunities. INM has closed its 
     small operation in Belize, has retired the four medium lift 
     transport aircraft that were used to support the expensive 
     air bridge in Peru, has decommissioned two older UH-1H 
     helicopters and has placed an additional eight aircraft in 
     non-flying storage. As a result, the INM-owned air fleet has 
     dropped to 36 in-service aircraft, though INM also supports 
     10 helicopters provided to Bolivia through a lease 
     administered by the Defense Security Assistance Agency (DSAA) 
     and two helicopters loaned by DOD to the Air Wing.
       As you know, the transfer of aircraft for use in 
     counternarcotics operations to other countries is a complex 
     issue that goes beyond the INM budget. It is necessary to 
     take into account the support required by anti-drug forces 
     and the ability of foreign governments to utilize aircraft 
     safely and effectively. We share Congressional concerns 
     regarding the transfer of these aircraft to foreign countries 
     in view of the risks that they may be used for purposes other 
     than narcotics control.
       U.S. and host nation anti-drug units in Latin America must 
     have effective aviation support if they are to reach drug 
     cultivation and production centers, which are almost always 
     located in remote, undeveloped regions with poor road 
     systems. Our objective is to help host governments develop 
     the institutional capability to maintain and support aviation 
     units. Progress in Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, and, more 
     recently, Peru over the past few years led to our request 
     last year that the Congress provide a national interest 
     waiver to the requirement that we maintain title to 
     counternarcotics aircraft.
       As we proceed in this direction, we must do so in a way 
     that prevents serious reductions in operational 
     effectiveness, unacceptable degradations in safety, and the 
     possible diversion of the aircraft to non-counternarcotics 
     use. Aircraft transfer decisions must be made very carefully, 
     and transfers should only take place after recipient 
     countries have demonstrated the ability to maintain and 
     operate them effectively and commit to dedicating them to 
     counternarcotics purposes.
       In response to the amendment providing a national interest 
     exception to the requirement to retain title to aircraft and 
     to INM's reduced FY 1994 budget, INM raised the issue of 
     transferring title of U.S.-owned counternarcotics aircraft 
     with our Embassies in Bogota, Lima, and La Paz and 
     requested their views as to the ability of the 
     host governments to support the aircraft effectively. The 
     Embassy in Bogota replied affirmatively, but noted that until 
     the Colombian National Police (CNP) resolved the logistical 
     and maintenance challenges posed by their receipt of U.S.-
     provided aircraft in 1991 and 1992, the CNP would be able to 
     absorb only a small number of additional aircraft. Embassies 
     Lima and La Paz replied that the Peruvian Police and Bolivian 
     Air Force lacked the financial resources and technical 
     capabilities to assume ownership of any INM Air Wing aircraft 
     at this time. It should be noted that although Bolivia has 
     already taken title to a C-130 aircraft from DOD, this 
     aircraft is supported technically and financially through the 
     FMF program. With the cuts in FMF funds, a similar support 
     situation for INM aircraft would not be available to the 
     Bolivian government.
       While the Department is hopeful the CNP will be able to 
     absorb additional aircraft within the next one to three 
     years, we believe it will be three to five years or longer 
     before other countries in the region can assume primary 
     responsibility for their counternarcotics aviation units. 
     Although host nation personnel in Bolivia and Peru now fly 
     all missions and take an active part in operation planning, 
     their logistical and maintenance capabilities are much less 
     developed. These deficiencies are being addressed by INM-
     supported training and other assistance to host country 
     aviation units, but a more serious problem is that neither 
     government has been able to provide the funds needed to 
     sustain air operations. The Department will continue to urge 
     these countries to increase funding for these purposes. 
     However, until they do so, if we do not support these units, 
     their ability to transport host national police and DEA 
     agents safely would be badly eroded if not lost altogether.
       With the approval of Presidential Decision Directive 14 on 
     U.S. Counternarcotics Policy in the Western Hemisphere, 
     Assistant Secretary Gelbard has directed his staff to prepare 
     a plan outlining how our interregional aviation program could 
     be better structured to support PDD-14's operational and 
     institution building objectives in Latin America. This plan 
     will address, inter alia, coordination of funding and support 
     for operations of aircraft transferred to other countries as 
     well as the management and utilization of the aircraft 
     remaining in INM's inventory and should be completed by early 
     spring. The Director of INM's Office of Transnational Issues, 
     David Lyon, has already discussed this plan informally with 
     members of the committee staff and will be in further contact 
     with them this month. Mr. Gelbard would, of course, be 
     pleased to meet with you should you wish to discuss this 
     matter with him directly, either now or after the plan is 
     provided to your Committee.
       I hope this information is responsive to your request. If 
     we can be of any further assistance to you on this or any 
     other matter, please do not hesitate to let us know.
           Sincerely,

                                             Wendy R. Sherman,

                                              Assistant Secretary,
     Legislative Affairs.

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