- Title: EU's Mogherini pledges support for Colombia in aftermath of FARC peace deal
- Date: 26th May 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SANTOS SHAKING HANDS WITH FARC HEAD TIMOCHENKO DURING TALKS IN CUBA ALONG WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT, RAUL CASTRO
- Embargoed: 11th June 2016 00:57
- Keywords: European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini Cuba Colombia FARC peace ELN
- Location: BOGOTA, CUCUTA, UNIDENTIFIED AREA, COLOMBIA / HAVANA, CUBA
- City: BOGOTA, CUCUTA, UNIDENTIFIED AREA, COLOMBIA / HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0044JG46YV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini pledged EU support for Colombia's efforts to seek a peace deal with FARC rebels during a visit to Bogota on Thursday (May 26) to strengthen bilateral ties between the two regions.
Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, have been in peace talks in Havana, Cuba, since late 2012 to end Latin America's longest war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands.
A deadline for a final accord was missed in March, but Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said his government hoped to conclude a peace deal with the FARC rebels "in the very near future".
Holding a news conference alongside her Colombian counterpart Angel Holguin, Mogherini told media that Europe will seek financial support agreements with the South American nation to help boost the chances of a peace deal between the rebels and Bogota.
"We have obviously very high interests in the peace process to be finalised and we are extremely committed in accompanying and supporting Colombia in the implementation of the post conflict. For this we have also very important agreements that we will sign today later on, financial support, cooperation we would put in place. But, I would like to underline here the political support we as Europeans all together united give to the peace process," she said.
Despite the peace overtures, rebel violence still plagues vast areas of Colombia.
Most recently, the Colombia's defence minister has blamed the Colombian Marxist rebel group and FARC rival, the National Liberation Army (ELN) for the disappearance of three journalists near the border with Venezuela.
One of those missing is Spanish reporter Salud Hernandez who writes for Spain's El Mundo as well as for local newspapers. She was the first of the three journalists to go missing.
Hernandez was last seen climbing aboard a motorcycle taxi on Saturday while working on a story about the illegal drug trade.
Reporter Diego D'Pablos and cameraman Carlos Melo, from local television news channel Noticias RCN, went to the area to cover Hernandez's disappearance, before they themselves vanished.
Mogherini expressed her concerns for the missing journalists.
"For us this is a matter of primary concern not only for the safety of the people involved but also for the freedom of the press. That for us is a fundamental principle of any healthy democracy and society in the world and for sure for Colombia," she added.
President Santos has increased troop presence and sent the heads of the army and national police to the area to direct search operations for the journalists.
Colombia's Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said that the fate of the missing journalists lies with ELN rebels.
"More than enough time has passed for the return of the three journalists. From here on, the responsibility for the safety and freedom of the three citizens is with exclusively in the hands of the National Liberation Army (ELN). Our intelligence clearly indicates that the northeastern front of the National Liberation Army is responsible for the presence of those three journalists in this region," he declared.
Colombia and the ELN agreed in March to begin peace talks, but Santos has said no talks will begin until the group frees all hostages. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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