From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: "STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN!" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY www.janes.com June 6, 2001 Dutch, US move on Antilles airfields pact By Joris Janssen Lok THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The Dutch Parliament voted on 29 May in favour of a government-to-government agreement between the Netherlands and the USA that covers the use of two airfields in the Netherlands Antilles, off the coast of Venezuela, as forward operating locations (FOLs) by US armed forces. The long-awaited agreement follows two years during which US fighter and surveillance aircraft have been operating as part of the 'War on Drugs' effort from the islands of Aruba and Curacao. The US Air Force has established a de facto permanent presence at Hato Air Base, Curacao, including F-16 fighters to intercept drugs trafficking aircraft over the Caribbean. Left-wing and Green Party members of parliament voted against the agreement, saying they feared that the Netherlands, through the US operations from the FOLs, would become involved in a drugs war-style conflict in Colombia. The US forces are receiving support from Royal Netherlands Navy maritime patrol aircraft and surface ships stationed in the region, as well as from the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coast Guard. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
