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Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the Government'spolicy with regard to Plan Colombia. [153935]Mr. Battle: I have been asked to reply.Plan Colombia is the Colombian Government's strategy for tackling the interconnected problems of internal violence, social andeconomic inequality, abuse of human rights and drugs cultivation and trafficking.There are concerns raised by some aspects of Plan Colombia, in particular about the eradication of illegal crops by aerial spraying.The UK has not given any financial or other support to the plan. Instead, the UK is contributing to and fully supports assistance toColombia through the European Union of 105 million euro over the next five years. The EU package will focus on measures to supporthuman rights, long-term economic and social development, and an end to violence. |