PARIS | Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:19am EST

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE70P0HI20110126

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos called on France on Wednesday to back tougher measures against  money laundering during its presidency of the Group of 20 to help fight drug trafficking. During a visit to Paris, Santos told Le Figaro newspaper that Europe had an important role to play in fighting the illegal narcotics trade by tackling consumption, providing aid for crop substitution in producing countries, and collaborating more effectively in the fight against money laundering.

"The cooperation from the international monetary system on this subject (of money laundering) is very insufficient," Santos said in the interview. "We expect some support from France, which is presiding over the G20."

Santos, a former hardline defence minister who took office in August in the South American country, was due to have lunch on Wednesday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The French leader laid out on Monday his agenda for France's year-long G20 presidency, focusing on tackling high commodities prices and reforming the international financial system. He cited measures against tax havens and money laundering as an area where the G20 had made some progress in recent years.

Colombia, plagued by a decades-long guerrilla conflict, remains the world's No.1 cocaine producer and multiple illegal armed groups are all engaged in the drug trade. [ID:nRISKCO]

Santos reiterated in the Figaro interview that Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels -- shaken by the killing of top commander Mono Jojoy in a government bombing raid in September -- would have to lay down their arms and release their hostages before peace talks could begin. (Reporting by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)