§ 72. Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support he is providing for President Barco of Colombia's war on the drug barons.
§ Mr. SainsburyWe fully support the efforts of President Barco in combating the activities of the illegal drugs traffickers in Colombia. As my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs announced on 27 September in New York, the Government are providing a substantial package of practical assistance to the Colombian authorities. This includes the provision of non-lethal equipment, technical expertise and training in a number of areas including bomb disposal, close protection of VIPs, secure communications, police data processing and riverine patrolling. Royal Naval vessels in the area are periodically deployed to provide surveillance assistance to Colombia.