Manu
09-09-2002, 02:41 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The Bush administration cleared about $42 million in aid to the Colombian armed forces on Monday after deciding that they are doing enough to prevent abuses of human rights, a U.S. official said.
The "certification," signed by the State Department on Monday morning, is an assurance to the U.S. Congress that Colombia has met the conditions for the aid.
In its appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002, Congress made U.S. assistance to the Colombian armed forces conditional on meeting three requirements.
Those were that they suspend personnel credibly suspected of human rights violations or abetting the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), that they transfer military personnel to civilian jurisdiction when requested and that they take effective measures to sever links between military units and the paramilitary AUC.
The State Department signed an interim certification in April, enabling the United States to release $62 million, or 60 percent of the total for the fiscal year, to the military. The new certification is for the remaining 40 percent.
The $104 million subject to the conditions is only a small part of overall U.S. aid to Colombia, which is the third largest recipient of U.S. aid after Israel and Egypt.
The United States has given Colombia more than $1 billion over the past two years to fight the drugs trade. Under new U.S. legislation Colombia can also now use U.S. aid against leftist guerrillas and militias which Washington calls terrorist
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The "certification," signed by the State Department on Monday morning, is an assurance to the U.S. Congress that Colombia has met the conditions for the aid.
In its appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002, Congress made U.S. assistance to the Colombian armed forces conditional on meeting three requirements.
Those were that they suspend personnel credibly suspected of human rights violations or abetting the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), that they transfer military personnel to civilian jurisdiction when requested and that they take effective measures to sever links between military units and the paramilitary AUC.
The State Department signed an interim certification in April, enabling the United States to release $62 million, or 60 percent of the total for the fiscal year, to the military. The new certification is for the remaining 40 percent.
The $104 million subject to the conditions is only a small part of overall U.S. aid to Colombia, which is the third largest recipient of U.S. aid after Israel and Egypt.
The United States has given Colombia more than $1 billion over the past two years to fight the drugs trade. Under new U.S. legislation Colombia can also now use U.S. aid against leftist guerrillas and militias which Washington calls terrorist
www.cnn.com