WRITTEN QUESTION No. 954/98 by Gianfranco DELL'ALBA to the Council. UNDCP programme in Afghanistan
C 323/98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 10. 98 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (22 April 1998) The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat a table containing the information requested. (98/C 323/146) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0946/98 by Jesu· s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission (30 March 1998) Subject: Investment in Nicaragua In what way is the Commission stimulating national and foreign investment in productive sectors in Nicaragua in order to favour sustainable development in that country? Answer given by Mr Mar ·n on behalf of the Commission (23 April 1998) One of the main objectives of Commission cooperation with Nicaragua is to encourage investment that will contribute to the sustainable development of the country. As part of Community financial and technical cooperation, the Commission is conducting an ambitious project aiming to establish greater legal certainty for rural landowners, an essential factor in encouraging investment. More generally, rural development cooperation, which has been a major focus of Community assistance, contributes to improved socio-economic conditions and thereby helps establish the basic conditions for investors to derive greater profit from their activities. At the same time, the Commission is trying to promote foreign investment directly through economic cooperation, by setting up a Euro-centre for business cooperation, organising trade fairs under the Al-Invest programme and making the facilities of the European Community International Investment Partners (ECIP) available to international economic operators. Lastly, the FEPEX (Fondo especial de promocio·n de las exportaciones) and Foexca (Fomento de las exportaciones en Centroame·rica) programmes, designed to promote exports from Nicaragua through loans at reduced interest rates, have also contributed considerably to an upswing in investments. (98/C 323/147) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0954/98 by Gianfranco DellíAlba (ARE) to the Council (31 March 1998) Subject: UNDCP programme in Afghanistan On 19 February 1998 the European Parliament unanimously adopted a joint resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, which, in addition to reiterating áits strong condemnation of the Taliban regime and its policy of systematic human rights abusesí (paragraph 1), expresses an extremely critical view of the programme which the UNDCP (United Nations Drug Control Programme) intends to carry out in Afghanistan, because of doubts regarding its political expediency and effectiveness and its implications for democracy. The programme provides for the allocation of funding to the Taliban regime to enable it to launch a programme for the phasing-out of opium poppy cultivation. In this context the EP claims in recital I that áthe Taliban regime. does not enjoy