United States Supports Bolivia's "Plan Dignidad"

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

September 29, 2000

STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR BOLIVIA

The United States and the international community fully support
Bolivian President Banzer's Plan Dignidad to rid the country of
illegal coca. As President Clinton told President Banzer in New York,
the United States has matched word with deed in this support.

We have a considerable assistance package for Bolivia in the next
year, much of which will go to alternative development and to benefit
the rural poor. In addition, over the course of the last decade
(1991-1999), the United States has forgiven nearly $450 million of
Bolivian official debt under various reduction programs. The United
States also provides in excess of $40 million annually in
counter-narcotics assistance for Bolivia, and an additional $110
million is earmarked for this purpose out of the recent supplemental
appropriation for Colombia and the region. We will continue to work in
international fora to garner even more support and assistance for
Bolivia.

In that regard, the debt reduction process is well underway in Bolivia
and the Government of Bolivia has launched discussions at the grass
roots level on what can be done to alleviate poverty. We believe that
these are responsible actions on the part of the Banzer Government,
which is intent upon ridding Bolivia of illegal coca and attracting
foreign investment in order to generate jobs.

For these reasons, we believe both the demands and violent tactics of
the coca growers are destructive to Bolivia's national interests. We
share and fully support President Banzer's call for communication and
reconciliation and urge all Bolivians to take heed of the plea by
10,000 women in Cochabamba for peace, dialogue and cooperation in
achieving a brighter future for all Bolivians.