Bolivian leader meets with Rice

VALPARAISO, Chile -- The new Bolivian president, Evo Morales, who has called himself a nightmare for Washington, put aside public differences with the United States yesterday and held his first meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Seeking to show that Washington does not hold grudges against Latin America's leftist leaders, Rice met briefly with Morales before the inauguration of Chile's first woman president, Michelle Bachelet of the Socialist Party.

''It was a first meeting, but it was a very good, friendly discussion," a senior State Department official, who declined to be named in accordance with diplomatic practice, said after the meeting. ''She emphasized our desire to work in a cooperative manner in counternarcotics."

Bolivia is the world's third- biggest cocaine producer, after Colombia and Peru. The United States funds programs in Bolivia to eradicate coca, the primary source of cocaine.

Before meeting with Rice, Morales said he wanted to discuss a ''true and effective fight against drug trafficking."

For her part, Rice was at pains to stress Washington wanted to be a good friend to Bolivia and said there had been cooperation so far in fighting terror and drugs.

''We have had a good relationship with Bolivia and we want to maintain it," Rice told reporters traveling with her.

Morales went into politics as the leader of Bolivia's coca growers. The United States is concerned that Morales will allow the cultivation of coca to increase in Bolivia.

During the election, Morales had threatened to roll back US efforts to curb coca growing, but has since urged farmers to respect a law limiting how much coca each family can grow.

Morales, who took office in January, has close ties with Cuba and Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez. ''We will always be open to dialogue. We can talk with Bush, but also with Fidel Castro," Morales told reporters on Friday, speaking of the US and Cuban presidents.