Spain lawmakers support Colombia peace process

A Spanish congressional committee has expressed its support for Colombia’s peace talks between the government and the FARC, saying it plans to offer assistance in any eventual peace agreement, according to Spanish news agency EFE. 

Spain’s Congressional Committee of Foreign affairs will be in Bogota until the end of the week on a biannual visit to the country, and it plans to use the occasion to encourage a successful resolution to the peace negotiations currently taking place in Havana.

Last week the committee approved a proposition which urges the Spanish government to continue decisively supporting the peace process in Havana and maintaining initiatives that contribute to its success.

This proposition included the recommendation to “recognize the role played” by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, according to the website Terra.

The president of the commission said he was “convinced” that Spain could have an important role to play in post-conflict Colombia, though he declined to offer any specifics, saying the conflict must first come to an end.

MORE: Colombia and Spain to strengthen security ties

Other purposes of the visit include the strengthening of diplomatic relations, encouraging Colombian investment in Spain, and the “defense of Spanish interests” through meetings with Spanish companies in Colombia. The commission also plans to meet with former Colombian presidents, including Alvaro Uribe and Belasio Betancur.

Sources

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