asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a report on a meeting in Hamburg between the Foreign Ministers of the European Community and the Ministers of Central American countries; if he will give details of the aid package agreed; and if he will indicate when the 3,500 tons of dried milk requested by the Nicaraguan Government from Ireland will be dispatched.
Written Answers. - Aid to Nicaragua.
37.
The Conference in Hamburg on 29 February and 1 March in which I participated was the fourth in a series and part of a process of closer political dialogue and economic co-operation between the member states of the European Community and the states of Central America and particularly the Contadora Group which has been underway since 1984.
The purpose of this dialogue and co-operation is to assist the Central American States in overcoming the serious problems of the region. A very good and constructive atmosphere prevailed at the Hamburg Conference, as is reflected in the political statement and economic communique which were adopted. In their political statement the participants confirmed their support for the efforts of the Central American States to put into effect the Guatemala Agreement of last August, including the establishment of a Central American Parliament.
The major focus of the economic and development side of the agenda was the immediate plan of action prepared by the Central American countries to deal with the region's most pressing development needs. The plan is divided into two parts — the first part being an emergency plan concentrating on food aid, the creation of a fund for the economic reactivation of Central America, energy security, external debt and assistance to refugees and displaced persons. The other part proposes a multi-annual economic reactivation plan and provides for a series of measures, particularly in the areas of intra-regional trade, the promotion of extra-regional exports, the development of the industrial, agricultural, forestry, fisheries and tourist sectors.
The Community welcomed the fact that the countries of Central America had submitted the immediate plan of action and stated its readiness to co-operate in its implementation. As the plan forms part of a wider plan for Central America agreed by the UN General Assembly and currently being negotiated in that context, the Community will need to co-ordinate its response with other countries and international organisations which are taking part in the effort. For this reason it was not possible to finalise a specific package of Community measures at the Hamburg meeting. However, the Community made clear its willingness to respond to a number of aspects of the emergency plan, especially the provision of food aid and special emergency aid to those Central American countries which have particular food security problems. The Community also indicated its readiness to increase aid to assist the voluntary repatriation of refugees and resettlement of displaced persons and the two sides agreed the criteria that would be applied to such assistance. The Community also declared its willingness, in close co-operation with the European Parliament, to make a specific contribution to the practical and technical organisation of the proposed elections to a Central American Parliament.
As regards that part of the question relating to food aid from Ireland in the form of dried milk, I refer the Deputy to my reply to questions covering this general issue on 16 February last, when I pointed out that the subject of Irish food aid was the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture and Food.