Vol. 418 No. 5
14 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, following the conclusion of the Salvadoran Peace Accord, the Government have any plans to assist in social and economic reconstruction in that country; if he will urge countries which previously provided generous military aid to the Salvadoran armed forces to divert the finance to humanitarian aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ireland, together with other members of the international community, welcomed the signing of the peace accord between the Salvadoran Government and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. These agreements represent a major and positive advance in a situation of armed conflict which has lasted for 12 years and resulted in the death of at least 80,000 people.
Linked to the peace agreements is an extensive reconstruction programme for El Salvador aimed at addressing vital social objectives such as the reintegration of veterans into civilian life, the rehabilitation of displaced persons and repatriated refugees, the introduction of land reform, and improvements in the health and education systems. The Salvadoran Government have appealed to the international community for assistance in the implementation of this programme.
Ireland, together with partners in the Community, is contributing to the social and economic reconstruction of El Salvador within the framework of the political and economic co-operation procedure which operates between the European Community and the countries of Central America. Within this context the community has made provision for a contribution of 50 million ECUs to the reconstruction of the country.
In addition, under Ireland's Co-Financing Scheme with non-Governmental Organisations a grant of £30,000 was paid to Trócaire in 1991 for a community development programme in Segundo Montes, El Salvador. Further applications for financial assistance for El Salvador under the 1992 scheme have been received and will be considered shortly.
Under the terms of the peace accords the army in El Salvador is to be scaled down. In keeping with these accords the Government in El Salvador plan to reduce the army to half its present strength over the next 24 months. This will involve the gradual demobilisation of large numbers of military personnel and their retraining for reintegration into the civilian community. The focus is thus on assistance of a type which can help in the realisation of this and other aspects of the reconstruction programme. I would hope that the international community will contribute as much as possible in this regard thus helping to consolidate peace in El Salvador and in the Central American region as a whole.
I thank the Minister for his reply and the commitment made to humanitarian aid to El Salvador through the EC and the support for the Trócaire project. Have any representations been made to the United States, for instance, which has over many years supplied vast amounts of aid in a military form to El Salvador, as to whether it intends to comply with its commitment that once the ceasefire is signed approximately $28 million will be given in humanitarian aid? Is the Minister concerned that there are proposals by the United States to allocate $35 million this year for military aid to El Salvador and a further $40 million in 1993, given that the commitment in the ceasefire is to demilitarise El Salvador?
This is a very reasonable question. The total package for El Salvador before the US Congress is for $286 million, $246 million of which is for economic reconstruction. The remaining $40 million is for subsistence aid for the El Salvadoran Army such as food, clothing and medicine. The focus in El Salvador is now on aid of a type that can assist in the realisation of the reconstruction programme. I would hope that all members of the international community would contribute as much as possible in this regard in order to consolidate peace in the region.
The Deputy has raised a very serious question regarding military aid. It is my understanding that US military aid of a non-subsistence nature for 1991-92 was amended following the signing of the peace accords and that the aid for which the approval of Congress is now being sought is primarily for subsistence supplies such as food and clothing. The peace accord and the reconstruction programme offer an historic opportunity to bring peace and reconciliation to the people of El Salvador. The focus is now on aid of the type which can assist in the implementation of the accords and the programme. I would hope that all members of the international community would provide assistance. The Deputy has raised a serious issue and I have addressed the matter as best I can.
