E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y P o l i c y T o w a r d s C e n t r a l A m e r i c a IN THE 1980s Hazel Anne Smith London School of Economics and Political Science A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Economics of the University of London UMI Number: U062757 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U062757 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Tt+z&as F 6939 79 363 C Abstract This thesis asks and responds to the question 'why and how did the European Community intervene in Central America in the 1980s?' In order to provide a useful response to the question a description and analysis of the policy is presented. The conceptual context utilised is of EC foreign policy making and the historical and geographical context is of EC Latin American policy. European Community policy towards Central America has been commonly described as a 'surprising' example of an independent EC policy vis-a-vis the United States, partly because it involved the institutions of the Community in Latin America, a region which the US had considered since the advancement of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 as their domain. Even more surprisingly still (superficially) was the choice of Central America for active intervention. Not only had the EC since its creation displayed minimal economic or political interest in the region, but it also risked conflict with its ally and partner, the United States, which did have very specific political and strategic interests in Central America. In the thesis two levels-of-analysis are utilised. The first is that of the EC as international actor and as the primary unit of analysis. The second is that of the member states or the sub-units of the EC. The conclusion is that while the EC and its member states were motivated by shared strategic interests with the US (anti-Communism) they had differing views as to how to pursue those interests. The EC (and the member states to varying degrees) became involved in Central America in order to a) try to control the revolutionary movements of the region but more importantly to b) prevent the US from transforming what the west Europeans considered as a regional problem into a major focus of global East-West confrontation. 2 Table of Contents Abbreviations Introduction ' The Literature Overview Notes to Introduction Chapter 1 The Empirical Framework US Policy towards Central America The Nicaraguan Revolution The Latin and Central American Peace Processes Notes to Chapter 1 Chapter 2 European Community Foreign Policy Definitions and concepts Historical development of EC Foreign Policy EC external relations European Political cooperation (i) Historical development (ii) Institutional framework (Hi) Philosophical framework (iv) Substantive issues External relations and EPC: points of convergence The management of convergence - from the European Council to the Single European Act A Community foreign policy? Conclusion Notes to Chapter 2 Chapter 3 European Community policy towards Latin America Definitional problems and their consequences Pre-history The EC relationship with Latin America: the philosophical framework Economic issues (i) Trade (ii) Aid (Hi) Regional integration (iv) Investment and debt Political and institutional issues (i) The Council of Ministers (ii) The European Parliament (Hi) The Commission 3 (iv) EC political relations with Latin America EC relations with Latin America; overview Conclusion Notes to Chapter 3 Chapter 4 European Community policy towards Central America Definitions The beginnings of a policy; 1975-1981 (i) The Council (ii) The Commission (Hi) The Parliament Towards Convergence; 1982 (i) The Council (ii) The Commission (iii) The Parliament Consolidation; 1983-1984 (i) The Council (ii) The Commission (iii) The Parliament Notes to Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Implementation and Change: 1985-1990 The Council (i) The political dialogue (ii) The economic dialogue The Commission (i) The political role (ii) The economic role The Parliament Meeting objectives Institutional aspects Explaining the policy Notes to Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Member State Policy towards Central America Britain and Central America (i) General regional interests and policies (ii) Policy towards the Central American conflict 1979-1985 The Federal Republic of Germany and Central America (i) General regional interests and policies (ii) Policy towards the Central American conflict 1979-1985 France and Central America (i) General regional interests and policies (ii) Policy towards the Central American conflict 1979-1985 Spain and Central America (i) General regional interests and policies (ii) Policy towards the Central American conflict 1979-1985 4 Conclusion Further explanations Notes to Chapter 6 Conclusion EC foreign policy EC foreign policy and Central America Central America and EC foreign policy making Theoretical implications of this study Notes to Conclusion Bibliography 1. EC Official Documentation (i) Commission (ii) Council and EPC (iii) European Parliament (iv) Economic and Social Committee (v) Miscellaneous 2. Books and articles 3. Other Documentation 4. Interviews 5 Abbreviations ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific ADLAF German Association for Research into Latin America ALADI Latin American Integration Association AMU Arab Maghreb Union ANN New Nicaragua (Press) Agency ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations BCIE Central American Bank for Economic Integration CABEI Central American Bank for Economic Integration CACM Central American Common Market CAHI Central American Historical Institute CAP Common Agricultural Policy CARICOM Caribbean Community CATIE Central America and Tropical Agriculture Research and Training Centre CCP Common Commercial Policy CDU Christian Democrat Union CDWU Christian Democratic World Union CET Common External Tariff CETIM Europe-Third World Centre CFSP Common Foreign and Security Policy COMECON Council for Mutual Economic Assistance COREPER Committee of Permanent Representatives CSCE Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe CIEC Conference on International Economic Cooperation CIVS International Verification and Follow-Up Commission CRIES Regional Coordination for Social and Economic Research CSU Christian Social Union ECJ European Court of Justice ECLAC UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ECSC European Coal and Steel Community ECU European Currency Unit EDC European Defence Community EDF European Development Fund EEC European Economic Community EFTA European Free Trade Association EIB European Investment Bank EP European Parliament EPC European Political Community EPC European Political Cooperation EPU European Payments Union ERP European Recovery Programme EUA European Unit of Account EURATOM European Atomic Energy Community FDI Foreign Direct Investment FDP Free Democratic party FNSP National Foundation of Political Science 6 FSLN Sandinista National Liberation Front G7 Group of Seven GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GCC Gulf Cooperation Council GNP Gross National Product GRUCA Group of Central American Ambassadors GRULA Group of Latin American Ambassadors GSP Generalised System of Preferences HSG Heads of State and Government ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ICJ International Court of Justice IDB Inter-American Development Bank IIP International Investment Partners IMF International Monetary Fund INCAP Institute of Nutrition of Central America IPS Institute for Policy Studies IRELA Institute for European-Latin American Relations JCMS Journal of Common Market Studies LAA Latin America and Asia LAB Latin American Bureau LAFTA Latin American Free Trade Association MFA Multi-Fibre Agreement MNR National Revolutionary Movement NACLA North American Congress on Latin America NAFTA North American Free Trade Area NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation NIC Newly Industrialising Country NSC National Security Council NSC Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign NTB Non-Tariff Barrier OAS Organisation of American States ODA Official Development Assistance ODUCA Christian Democratic Organisation of America OEEC Organisation for European Economic Cooperation OJEC Official Journal of the European Communities OOPEC Office of Official Publications of the European Community OPEC Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries PACCA Policy Alternatives for the Caribbean and Central America PAHO Pan American Health Organisation PLN National Liberation Party PS Socialist Party PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party RIIA Royal Institute of International Affairs SEA Single European Act SELA Latin American Economic System SI Socialist International SIECA Secretariat for the Economic Integration of Central America SPD Social Democrat Party 7 STABEX Stability in export earnings TNI Transnational Institute UDC Union of the Democratic Centre UDF Democratic Union of France UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNICEF United Nations Childrens* Fund 8