Mr President, as in previous years we see the Council considerably reducing the Commission proposals on allocations for development cooperation. Lines related to NGOs, the environment and to women in development are under threat. The Council draft budget represents a cut of 22% in the PDB and a cut of 21% over the 1994 budget. I see our role in the Committee on Development and Cooperation as one which involves improving both the quality and the quantity of European aid and naturally to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between North and South.

Our approach is a realistic one, a prudent one, and one, of course, which reflects the need for budgetary discipline. But we are clear that we consider that arbitrary and swingeing cuts will threaten and undermine the capacity of communities in the South with whom we need to build partnerships and to whom we have a clear responsibility.

The Development Committee's budget proposals reflect our view that we need to build upon and strengthen our relationships with the South; we need coherence and a clear direction geared to long-term sustainable development needs. Therefore, the main increase which I propose is in the line B7-5010, the line which relates to the work of NGOs, which is a very effective and important funding instrument.

Mr Ryelandt from the Commission has already told me that all appropriations on this line for 1994 have been used up.

On South Africa, as Terry Wynn has said, you will see that we have made a proposal for a significant improvement. This would be continuing our work with the Kagiso Trust, the Bishops Conference and others, but also recognizing the need now to work with the newly elected democratic government in South Africa. Therefore, we propose a 25% increase related to reconstruction and development in South Africa and the role in southern Africa.

We welcome the line on the observatory. We welcome proposals on refugees and displaced persons. It concerns us that our line on children and maternity health has been excluded as well as our line on working with children who are the victims of war and conflict.

We in the Development Committee will work with the Committee on Budgetary Control and with the Parliament. We are concerned at some of the adjustments the Committee on Budgets has made, but we welcome support for many of those lines most clearly and directly related to building clear strategies on development.

I trust that Parliament will support this view.