Brussels, 11/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council this week adopted conclusions in which it announces that the EU is to set in place a substantial aid programme for supporting the peace process in Colombia. It does not, however, explicitly speak of the "Colombia Plan", which is criticised by some of the Member States for its military aspects. The text is as follows (unofficial translation):
"The European Union reaffirms its political support to the peace effort to which President Pastrana is committed. It hopes to actively accompany, with the international community, the negotiation process which, in the context of consultation of the civil society and with the agreement of all the parties, must lead to peace founded on human rights, humanitarian law and fundamental freedoms.
Continuing its current effort, the European Union will establish a substantial European programme for socio-economic and institutional support to the peace process in Colombia, aimed at promoting and safeguarding the respect of human rights, humanitarian law and fundamental freedoms, and improving living conditions of local populations, encouraging alternative crops and the protection of bio-diversity, and accompanying the establishment of structural reforms in all areas that fuel the armed conflict".
The European Commission is soon expected to adopt a communication specifying the ambitions of the programme contemplated. The aim is for the EU to present specific commitments at the meeting of donors for peace in Colombia, on 24 October in Bogota. Until now, Spain has been the only member of the EU to have clearly stated its support to the "Colombia Plan" with the pledge of $100 million in aid. The European programme would be devoted essentially to the fight against poverty, reform of the justice system, defence of human rights and alternative crops to cocoa. Financing should be similar to the funds already disbursed by the Commission and the Member States in Colombia, that is, almost EUR 200 million.