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the members of the European Community to annual political meetings in principle at Ministerial level with the Central Americans, with the participation of the Contadora countries. A cooperation agreement between the European Community and Costa Rica,
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El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama was also signed. This agreement contained an undertaking by the European Community to provide substantially increased aid to the Central American states from which all the countries will benefit. agreed objective is to encourage regional cooperation and the Community confirmed its intention to grant priority assistance for regional projects on the basis of the jointly agreed priorities and objectives for the region. We, and the Latin American countries, recognise that the countries of Western Europe cannot solve the problems of Central America but we hope that the closer institutional bonds and the substantial increase in aid agreed at Luxembourg will provide a welcome signal of encouragement, goodwill and support for the efforts of the Contadora Group to bring peace and economic development to the region.
Our objectives in both El Salvador and Central America as a whole are to support friendly governments in consolidating democratic institutions and the rule of law, to encourage economic and social development, and to end insurgency and terrorism.
President Duarte's government are publicly committed to strengthening democracy, ending human rights abuses and seeking national reconciliation. These policies received a vote of confidence in the National Assembly elections on 31 March 1985. We believe that President Duarte's objectives deserve our support. This is why, following the President's visit to the UK in July 1984, the Government offered to reintroduce a small technical cooperazion programme in El Salvador. A grant of £100,000 was also made available for the purchase of civilian supplies and equipment.
The Government also offered to train one or two Salvadorean military officers in Britain. A Salvadorean military cadet will begin a training course at RMA Sandhurst in January 1987. Such assistance, offered to students from a wide range of developing countries, is valuable in enabling them to benefit from British experience and
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