Colombiaanse minister van defensie brengt bezoek aan Brussel (en)

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 25 June 2013 A

Colombian Defence Minister visits Brussels

Colombian Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno visited Brussels on 24/25 June, meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS i), Helga Schmid

Minister Pinzón expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in the field of CSDP, including by considering the opportunity and the modalities of Colombia's participation in EU missions. Deputy Secretary General Helga Schmid said the EU would consider assistance in the area of military penal jurisdiction as requested by the Colombian side

Helga Schmid expressed EU full support to the Colombian Government in its search for a negotiated solution to Colombia's internal armed conflict and welcomed the progress made in the talks with the FARC aimed at ending the decades-old confrontation. She also underlined the importance of transitional justice. She recalled that the High Representative had said that the recently reached agreement on land and rural development would hopefully add fresh impetus to the Havana negotiations, with a view to the rapid conclusion of a final peace agreement that would allow Colombia to enter into a full-fledged peace-building phase

Deputy Secretary General Schmid and Minister Pinzón also exchanged views on other international and regional developments

Minister Pinzón also met with the EU's Political and Security Committee, and with other senior EEAS officials, for discussions on the deepening of EU-Colombia dialogue and co-operation on areas of common interest