The timing of President Bush's decision remains uncertain, said the official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity.

The program was stopped after an American missionary and her infant daughter were killed in Peru last year when their plane was shot down by mistake.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer confirmed that administration officials have formally recommended that Bush "resume this program with new safeguards."

"He's pleased to receive the recommendation. This is something the president is very interested in," Fleischer said.

Cautioning that Bush "has not yet made a formal decision on this matter," Fleischer added:

"The president very much wants to take strong actions to fight drug narcotics trafficking in South America. We will work closely with our allies there who share the American concern."

The program permits the United States to identify and locate suspected drug planes and for Colombian and Peruvian military aircraft to down the planes if they ignore requests to land.

The State Department will take over the program from the Central Intelligence Agency, The New York Times reported. The story said CIA Director George Tenet made it clear his agency no longer wanted to participate.