U.S. Grades Countries For Drug War Help

The Clinton administration sharply criticized Colombia’s counter-narcotics performance Wednesday but stopped short of imposing economic sanctions.

It decided against that step in light of Colombia’s role as the most important country in the U.S. anti-drug strategy in the Western Hemisphere.

Colombia was one of 29 drug-producing or -transit countries on which the administration issued judgments today concerning their cooperation in the war on narcotics.