WRITTEN QUESTION E-2228/00

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

(11 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 drug-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 Council not think it should inform the European Parliament of the substance and outcome of the multilateral consultations held in London?

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

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

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

5. Does the Council 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?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

Plan Colombia is a National Recovery Programme launched by President Pastrana when he was elected in July 1998. The Plan, which envisages a budget of USD 7 600 million over three years, includes provisions concerning the peace process in Colombia, rehabilitation of the Colombian economy, combating drugs, reform of the legal system, protection of human rights, democracy and social development.

President Pastrana appealed to the international community for financial support for the project. In particular, he addressed the European Parliament on 25 October 1999. On that date, he also met the Secretary-General/High Representative, Mr Solana, and Commissioner Chris Patten. He announced his intention of sending emissaries to potential donor countries to present and give details concerning his request for aid.

As to the meeting referred to by the UK press, this undoubtedly refers to a technical meeting organised by the Foreign Office in London on 19 June 2000 with the aim of a preliminary exchange of views with the Colombian Government and representatives of civil society, in preparation for the international meeting on the Colombian peace process held in Madrid under the auspices of the Inter-American Development Bank on 7 July 2000. The European Parliament was represented at the Madrid meeting. Following the Madrid meeting, the Member States of the Union and the European Commission are to study the specific possibilities for cooperation with Colombia in the fields mentioned above.

The Council has already several times had occasion to inform the European Parliament on the situation in Colombia and on Plan Colombia, in particular at its session in April, in response to Oral Question QH/300/00.

The European Union is closely following the situation in Colombia, in contact with the Colombian Government, civil society and the NGOs operating in the country.

Aware of the very serious consequences of the violent situation in the country, the Union has reaffirmed its support for the Colombian Government to take the peace process forward. It attaches the greatest importance to the real participation of civil society and all the parties to the conflict to promote national reconciliation and the economic and social development of the country.

The Union supports the process of negotiations begun by the Colombian Government with the main armed groups, and the efforts of the Government to open up dialogue on the peace process to civil society, through broader consultation.

The European Union is aware of the serious problems Colombia is facing and considers that an integrated approach is essential to resolve these problems, which are interdependent.

It is prepared to look at possible new forms of cooperation in fields such as the modernisation of the State, the strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, respect for human rights, protection of the environment, development of alternative crops and economic reform.