Colombia and NATO have signed a cooperation agreement on the exchange of intelligence. The deal excludes the possibility of Colombian involvement in NATO operations, said the international defense body Tuesday.
The deal was announced by NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero, who told W Radio that the deal “seeks to open ways of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”
The NATO official reiterated last week’s decision by the international defense organization to not allow Colombia become a member of NATO citing its “geographical location” as the primary reason.
The current deal “will allow the exchange of classified information between the [NATO] Alliance and Colombia” and which will serve as “precursor to any possible future cooperation with Colombia which member states will develop through the organization,” anonymous NATO sources in Brussels told Spanish news agency EFE earlier this month.
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Romero told W Radio that “we will have to discuss” to what extent Colombia can be involved in NATO activities.
Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon told EFE that the agreement “allows Colombia’s experiences in the fight against drug trafficking and international terrorism, and other developed capacities to be known by other countries who need it.”
Also for the minister it was clear that “is no partner and will not become a partner of the alliance.”