CARTAGENA Colombia AP Convinced of the need to strengthen an armed forces under siege by the hemisphere's most powerful insurgency the United States signed an accord with Colombia on Tuesday pledging more military support. But the modest agreement creating a bilateral working group to discuss U.S. military aid options seemed as much a symbol of American reluctance as enthusiasm about getting more deeply involved in Colombia's nearly 4-decade-old conflict. The group will convene twice a year with the aim of making Colmbia's armed forces more professional improving human rights and fighting drug trafficking officials said. U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen in Colombia for a meeting of regional defense ministers called the accord an ``important step'' that could lead to more tangible assistance in the future. Cohen and Rodrigo Lloreda the Colombian defense minister discussed U.S. training and equipment for a 1000-man army battalion expected to be established by mid-1999. The unit's sole function will be to assist police in anti-narcotics operations. U.S. aid to Colombia's security forces is currently about 100 million a year most of which goes to the Colombian police and is classified as counter-narcotics. The aid including training is also restricted by U.S. law to military units with clean human rights records a tough prohibition in a country with some of Latin America's most serious abuses. Even if the United States does not provide direct aid to fight the insurgency said Lloreda its counter-narcotics assistance will weaken the rebels by attacking one of their main sources of income. The guerrillas increasingly fund their insurgency by taxing the drug trade. The top commander of U.S. forces in Latin America Gen. Charles E. Wilhelm said Tuesday that Colombia's military was ``heading in the right direction'' versus the rebels but still has serious problems with mobility intelligence and river operations. Wilhelm said U.S.-trained units can engage with the rebels as long as they are accompanying police in operations in areas where the guerrillas are clearly involved in drug trafficking. While recognizing that the lines can become blurred officials bristle at the suggestion that the United States is getting involved in Colombia's civil conflict. ``I am definitely not referring to counterinsurgency'' a senior U.S. official traveling with Cohen said at a press briefing responding to a reporter's question about whether any of the aid will be used against the guerrillas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. Some observers are worried that U.S. military aid could send confusing signals to the rebels undermining President Andres Pastrana's attempts to coax them toward peace. But such assistance could also help the Colombian army push the guerrillas nearer to a settlement. APW19981201.0589.txt.body.html APW19981201.1147.txt.body.html