Summary: June 30, 2004: Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the occasion of the formal start of talks between the Government of Colombia and the AUC paramilitary groups (Brussels)
Recalling the Council Conclusions of January 2004 and the London Declaration of July 2003, the European Union reiterates its longstanding policy of support for a negotiated solution to the armed conflict in Colombia, including through direct engagement with those illegal armed groups prepared to negotiate a peace agreement. The European Union believes that there can be no purely military solution to the conflict in Colombia. It underlines, therefore, the importance of looking constructively
at ways to move towards a peaceful settlement and the need for all illegal armed groups to engage in a negotiated process and to act accordingly.
The European Union confirms its readiness to assist in reaching a peaceful and durable solution to the conflict, within the framework of a credible and comprehensive peace strategy. It emphasizes the urgent need for the design and implementation of such a strategy and, in this regard, underlines the importance of the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations. It also underlines the importance of regular constructive dialogue between the Government and civil society.
The European Union welcomes the efforts of the Colombian Government to seek the disarmament and demobilisation of paramilitary groups and will follow with great interest the negotiations with the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) in the "zona de ubicación". The ongoing engagement of the Organisation of American States (OAS) through its 'Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia' is an important regional contribution to this process. While supporting these efforts, the European Union
deplores the continuing acts of violence and breaches of international humanitarian law by paramilitary groups, in violation of their self-declared cease-fire.
The European Union welcomes the efforts of the Colombian Government to start a peace dialogue with the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), with the facilitation of the Government of Mexico.
The European Union values highly the important contribution by Mexico to past peace processes in the region and fully supports its role as facilitator in any process with the ELN.
The European Union repeats its insistence that all illegal armed groups should cease hostilities. The rapid release of all remaining hostages and kidnapped persons would be a very positive signal of the intention of the illegal armed groups to take the path of peace.
The European Union remains deeply concerned at the grave human rights and international humanitarian law situation in Colombia. It believes that these aspects, as well as the right of the victims of the conflict to truth, justice, and reparation, must be high priorities on the agenda of any negotiation process, with particular attention to the implementation of the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The European Union also emphasises its strong support for the work of human rights defenders in Colombia, as elsewhere, as demonstrated by the recent adoption of EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders. In the Declaration of Guadalajara, all the countries of the European Union and Latin American and the Caribbean expressed their full commitment to provide coherent and effective support to those individuals, organisations or institutions, including human rights defenders, working for the
promotion and protection of human rights, in accordance with international law and UN General Assembly resolution 53/144. The European Union calls upon the Colombian authorities to refrain from statements which might endanger the rights of persons involved in the defence of human rights and to ensure compliance with Presidential Directive 07 of September 1999 and Ministry of Defence Directive 09 of July 2003.
The European Union looks forward to positive developments towards a resolution of the conflict in Colombia.
The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.
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