WRITTEN QUESTION E-2229/00

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) and Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 July 2000)

Subject: European participation in the United States Plan Colombia

According to the British press (Guardian and Observer), on Monday 19 June 2000 during multilateral consultations at the British Foreign Office, the United States asked European Union governments to make a contribution of GBP 600 million to the Plan Colombia already launched by the Clinton Administration with funding of USD 1,6 billion and intended to provide military and economic assistance to the Colombian government in its efforts to combat drugs trafficking. The plan, which includes the supply of 63 Blackhawk combat helicopters, armoured vehicles and other heavy weaponry to the armed forces in Bogota, has caused deep concern both within and outside the US Congress in that, under the ostensible pretext of eliminating drug trafficking, it threatens to end once and for all the peace negotiations with the FARC and ELN guerrilla groups and turn Colombia into another Vietnam by exacerbating a civil conflict which over the last 36 years has caused hundreds of deaths and more than a million refugees, with grave repercussions for neighbouring countries such as Venezuela.

1. Does the Commission not think it should inform the European Parliament of the substance and outcome of the multilateral consultations held in London?

2. Does the Commission not believe it should dissociate the EU from the Plan Colombia, even if the contribution asked for was used to provide economic and humanitarian assistance?

3. Does the Commission not believe it should continue the autonomous and unconditional economic assistance it provides to Colombia, which already amounts to around 5 million?

4. Does the Commission not believe that this assistance should be strengthened and aimed in particular at replacing coca and poppy crops with other crops guaranteed by business credit plans to promote the economic and social success of agricultural conversion and thus eradicate drug trafficking?

5. Does the Commission not believe that it should intervene, as called for on various occasions by representatives of the guerrillas and civil society in Colombia during visits to European capitals to mediate in an attempt to relaunch genuine peace negotiations and reach a non military solution to this long and bloody conflict?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Commission and the Member States have expressed their full support for the Colombian peace-process on various occasions. In relation to Plan Colombia, the European side has put emphasis on the need to tackle the root causes of the current conflict, namely social inequalities, and absence of respect for the rule of law.

At the 6/7 July meeting on the Colombian peace process, the Union showed unanimous support of the Colombian government peace efforts. It also expressed its willingness to provide a concrete contribution to the implementation of projects in some selected fields of activities. The Commission offered to co-ordinate a Union package of aid and Spain pledged 100 million. It is worth noting that the Parliament was duly represented at the Madrid meeting.

Union aid to Colombia is not subject to any element of conditionality. The Union's support to displaced people, more than one million victims of the civil war is particularly relevant. Thus, on an international level, the Commission (via ECHO) is the principal donor of aid to the displaced people ( 24 million since 1997).

As to the query of the Honourable Member concerning anti-drugs, the Commission acts according to the principle of shared responsibility. The Commission has carried out various projects of alternative development in Latin America. The Commission is willing to explore this possibility in Colombia, as long as the sustainability of the action is ensured. Another useful instrument has been improving access of Colombian products to the European market in order to facilitate the transition from illicit to legal crops, through the special drug generalized system of preferences which is open to all Andean countries.

Last, the Colombian government has not to date requested any intervention from third parties to medicte in the conflict.