Americas Directorate 
WH2.323 
King Charles Street 
London 
SW1A 2AH 
 
 
 
Tel: 020 7 008 2606 
 
Fax: 020 7 008 2476 
www.fco.gov.uk 
 
 
Ms Maire Daley 
 
By email:  
[FOI #22608 email] 
 
 
 
2 December 2009 
 
 
 
Dear Ms Daley, 
 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST:  0943-09 
 
I write in relation to your Freedom of Information Act request dated 04 November 
2009 in which you requested; 
“any documentation, correspondence or related material detailing the financial cost 
of British military assistance to the Colombian government annually for the years 
2006, 2007 and 2008.” 
I can confirm that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does hold information 
relevant to your request.  Whilst we do not provide military assistance to Colombia,   
UK co-operation with the Colombian Armed Forces in 2006-8 comprised three 
strands – counter-narcotics, humanitarian demining and human rights awareness 
training.  I enclose a document that sets out the UK’s total financial assistance to 
Colombia for these three years, including our contributions through the European 
Union and Inter-American Development Bank.   

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This document does not include details of financial assistance under the counter-
narcotics strand of co-operation.  We do not provide any details of our counter-
narcotics work in Colombia.  To do so could endanger the lives of personnel involved 
in this work, and our decision has been upheld by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.  
The information is exempt under section 23(1) of the Act (information supplied by, or 
relating to, bodies dealing with security matters).  Section 23 (1) is an absolute 
exemption and does not require the application of the public interest test in favour of 
disclosure.  
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and 
wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to me 
at the above address.  You have 40 working days to do so from the date of our 
response.  
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to 
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information 
Commissioner can be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to 
quote the reference number above in any future communications.   
Yours faithfully 
  
Catherine Shaw 
Assistant Desk Officer Andean Section 

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South America Team 
Foreign and Commonwealth Office 
 

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