WORLD : Peru Leader Backs Down, Will Attend Drug Summit With Bush

LIMA, Peru — President Alan Garcia said today he will attend a drug summit in Colombia on Feb. 15 now that President Bush has promised to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Panama to their pre-invasion levels.

Soon after the United States invaded Panama on Dec. 20 and toppled the regime of Manuel A. Noriega, Garcia and other Latin American leaders protested to Washington. Garcia said at the time that he would boycott the summit, probably sending a government minister in his place.

Garcia, Bush and the presidents of Colombia and Bolivia had planned to coordinate their fight against drug trafficking at the meeting in Cartagena.

Earlier this week, President Bush said he would reduce the U.S. military presence in Panama to its pre-invasion level of about 13,000 troops “well before the end of February.” He did not give a specific date.