§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on United Kingdom participation in Plan Colombia; and if he will make a statement. [139974]
§ Mr. BattleWe have received many representations from members of the public, Members of Parliament and others about Plan Colombia. The UK is playing a leading role through regular contact with the Colombian Government, our EU partners, the US and others, including NGO representatives, in support of the Colombian peace process.
On 19 June we hosted an international meeting in London to help prepare the ground for a successful conference on Colombia in Madrid on 7 July. NGO 395W representatives participated in both meetings. NGO and civil society organisations also made a valuable contribution to subsequent meetings in Costa Rica, on 17 October, and in Bogota on 24 October. The European Commission has announced support for the peace process worth 105 million euro over the period 2000–06, with the emphasis on support for human rights and the development of alternative crop strategies.