Colombia: plebiscite result is disappointing but peace is irreversible, say MEPs

The rejection in last Sunday’s plebiscite of the peace deal agreed by the Colombian government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) was a disappointment, but it does not compromise the peace process, which a majority of MEPs consider “irreversible”. In a plenary debate on Wednesday, they urged the EU i to continue supporting the negotiations and insisted that the FARC should be kept off the list of terrorist groups.

Speaking on behalf of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini i, Slovak Secretary of State said it was vital that both the FARC and the Colombian government confirm their commitment to making the ceasefire definitive. He assured them that the EU would stand with Colombia in its efforts to reach a long-lasting and sustainable peace and confirmed that the plebiscite outcome does not affect the EU decision to remove the leftist guerrilla group from the terror list.

You can watch the first round of interventions by clicking in the links:

Agustín DÍAZ DE MERA (EPP, ES) and Ramón JÁUREGUI (S&D, ES)

Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK) and Izaskun BILBAO (ALDE, ES)

Tania GONZÁLEZ (GUE, ES) and Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens, AT)

Ignazio CORRAO (EDFF, IT) and Edouard FERRAND (ENF, FR)

REF. : 20160930IPR44585