FTA and fight against terrorism, main issues in meeting with U.S. Congressmen

“PLAN COLOMBIA MUST CONSOLIDATE WITH A SECOND PHASE”: URIBE

Washington, D.C., 15 Sep. (SNE).- The consolidation of Plan Colombia’s second phase and how to reach a closure in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, jointly negotiated with Perú and Ecuador, main issues in President Álvaro Uribe’s agenda during his visit to U.S. Congress.

For the Chief of State, Colombia’s advancement in issues like illicit crop eradication through spraying, have visible results as going from 180 thousand hectares of drug at the beginning of the administration in 2002, to 80 thousand in 2004 and a 30% increase in 2005 spraying in comparison to the same period in 2004.

Add to that manual eradication, which is hoped that by the end of the current year will eradicate 30 thousand hectares more of illicit crops.

“So the results and the effort Colombia needs is what is called the second phase or consolidation phase of Plan Colombia,” President Uribe said at the conclusion of his meting with Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert.

In regards to the FTA Mr. Uribe said that in the United States Congress there should be awareness of political imperatives like Colombia’s resolve to defeat terrorism and give people different alternatives to illicit crop cultivation like the Forest Ranger Families Program (Familias Guardabosques) to which already 33 thousand families nationwide have registered.

“The U.S. vision towards Latin America, generous, sympathetic, has to be expressed through these treaties.”

President Uribe also explained to members of Congress that during the process of reinsertion 8,061 people have demobilized individually and 10,587 collectively (figures updated to September 13). Of these, 3,991 belonged to the FARC, 1,097 to the ELN, 222 to other dissident groups. Of the AUC, 2,751 have demobilized individually and 10,587 collectively in the development of the process the Government has with this organization.

“This reinsertion process is a very important and expensive one. I know not of a reinsertion of 20 thousand in the world –which could double in Colombia-. This is very delicate, very necessary and very expensive.”

To this –he complemented- add Colombia’s compromise to finance the displaced, that during Uribe’s administration “has multiplied by 8 the budget to support financing for the displaced.”

In 2002, $65.5 million dollars were invested. In 2003, it went down to $52.4 million. The increased in 2004 to $138.5 million and for 2005 the appropriation will be of $ 191.5 million.

“So these are extremely expensive social programs bearing great interest for the international community and it is very important that they count with U.S. support,” Uribe concluded.