The United States and Colombia are nearing an agreement that will grant US forces greater access to bases to help fight terrorism and drug trafficking, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday. During a press conference with Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez, Clinton said that a preliminary agreement has been reached and that both sides hope to sign it "in the near future." Clinton stressed that the deal would not result in a significant increase in the number of US personnel already in Colombia to work on counter narcotic operations, and that all bases will remain under control of the Colombian government, according to a report of the German news agency "DPA". "The United States does not have and does not seek bases inside Colombia," Clinton said. The agreement would grant the United States access to seven air force, army and naval bases.
