Colombia is seeking a renewal of the bilateral political agenda with the United States, Colombian newspaper El Espectador reported on Tuesday.
According to the daily, the Colombian diplomatic corps in Washington is trying to broaden relations to issues other than military cooperation and the attempt to have a free trade pact with the U.S. ratified.
The reported attempt to renew relations with the U.S. comes at the same time Colombia is trying to improve relations in South America, especially with neighbors Venezuela and Ecuador, that are highly critical of U.S. foreign policy.
The attempts to improve relations in the region are not because Bogota fears a more distant relation with Washington, that’s been an ally in the Colombian governments’ fight against Marxist guerrillas, paramilitary organizations and the drug trade, Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin told the paper.
What Colombia wants is the broadening of the bilateral agenda and include education, technology and environmental issues.
According to the paper, Holguin and her U.S. counterpart Hillary Clinton are close to setting the date for a meeting on the future of the countries’ bilateral agenda.