HC Deb 26 January 2001 vol 361 cc772-3W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterparts concerning their decision not to demand human rights certification in exchange for the aid package, Plan Colombia. [147256]

Mr. Battle

Human rights have been central to all of our discussions on Colombia, including the international meetings held last year in London, Madrid and Bogota, in which US officials also participated.

In waiving the formal human rights conditions linked to the disbursement of US aid for Colombia on 22 August 2000, President Clinton stressed that the US would press the Colombian authorities to make progress on human rights in all of the areas identified by Congress. We will continue the discussion with the new US Administration.