Declaration of ATPA beneficiary countries
Lima, March 16, 2001
Convinced that the issue of illicit drugs is
of a global nature, the ATPA beneficiary
countries, represented by the Ministers of
Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Colombia,
Ecuador and Peru, demand cooperation from
the international community in proportion to
the efforts their countries are making in
the fight against drug-trafficking, in order
to guarantee the sustainability of the
results obtained, and thereby attenuate the
economic and social cost involved, within
the framework of an effective exercise of
shared responsibility.
In this respect, they applaud the decision
of the United States Government to present a
proposal for the Andean sub-region on the
subject of the fight against drugs, and they
reiterate the need for this proposal to
consider aspects of economic and social
development and to contain a global,
balanced approach to the Andean countries'
support requirements.
They also reiterate the top-priority
importance they place on the renewal of the
Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) and on
the extension of its coverage to products
currently not included but which have a
significant impact on the generation of job
opportunities, bearing in mind the
productive and export characteristics of all
their countries and anticipating the
utilization of regional raw materials in
textiles and made-up garments.
Consequently,
the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru express the
desire of their Governments to continue
carrying out joint negotiations before the
United States Administration and Congress.
In this connection, they have decided to
instruct their Ambassadors in Washington to
carry out coordinated and sustained action.
They also consider that negotiations with
the United States Government on the occasion
of the Quebec Summit will be decisive for
progress on the above-mentioned projects, to
which effect they have accepted the
invitation of the President of Colombia to a
preparatory meeting in the city of Bogotá.
