(Unofficial translation)
Cartagena de Indias, February 3 rd and 4 th , 2005
1. On February 3 rd and 4 th , 2005, the second meeting of the Coordination and International Cooperation Roundtable for Colombia took place in Cartagena de Indias, with the aim of continuing the political and cooperation dialogue initiated in London on July 10 th , 2003.
2. The meeting was opened by the President of the Republic of Colombia, Mr. Alvaro Uribe Velez, and was attended by high-level representatives from the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, European Union and its members states, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States of America, the European Commission, the United Nations System, the Andean Development Corporation, the Inter American Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Government of Colombia.
3. Colombia was represented by the President and Vice-President of the Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the High Commissioner for Peace, the Director of the National Planning Department and the Presidential Adviser for Social Action, who presented advances of the Government's policies as well as in the peace processes, in human rights and in the National Strategy for International Cooperation.
4. The representatives of the Governments present, members of the G24, reaffirming the London Declaration underlined the importance of the processes which initiated there. Furthermore, they recognized the efforts made, the mechanisms established such as the Follow-up Committee, and the results obtained by the Government of Colombia in relation with the aforementioned Declaration. The participants received favorably the points of view of the civil society as an important contribution to the construction of a dialogue conducing to peace.
5. The representatives of the Governments present reaffirmed their support for the Government of Colombia in its efforts to improve the well-being and security of all citizens, as well as in the fight against terrorism and illegal drugs. They recognized the progress being made within a democratic context, improving governance, promoting the presence of the State's institutions and of the Organs of Control to assure the respect for the law and human rights throughout the national territory, and where applicable the International Humanitarian Law.
6. They supported the efforts and recognized the advances in the search for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the situation of internal violence generated by the conflict with the illegal armed groups, highlighting the work undertaken by the United Nations Secretary General, the Organization of American States, the Catholic Church, the Government of Mexico and other countries.
7. They demanded from the illegal armed groups to commit to a cessation of hostilities and a serious peace process, to respect International Humanitarian Law and the rights of all Colombians, to cease the attacks to the civilian population, the recruitment of minors and extortion, to end the production and trafficking of illegal drugs, and to free immediately all kidnapped. In this context, they underlined the benefits a humanitarian agreement would bring, being developed while taking into account the Rule of Law and International Humanitarian Law.
8. They highlighted the importance and relevance of the disarmament, demobilization and reinsertion processes which have been taking place. They recognized the need of complementing the legal framework in vigor with legislation permitting the realization of the principles of truth, justice, and reparation; permitting, moreover, an increased support for these processes.
9. They highlighted the advances and the disposition of the Government and the State's Institutions to work for the implementation of the Recommendations of the United Nations High –Commissioner for Human Rights, and encouraged them to continue their efforts in order to obtain results as soon as possible. In this sense, they underlined the importance of the Government's initiative to develop a National Human Rights Action Plan, and its intention to concert it with a wide cross-section of the Colombian society, in order to contribute to the construction of an environment fostering harmonic convivence, justice and reconstruction of the social network. They took note of the recent changes in the legal system aimed towards the strengthening of justice and of the fight against impunity.
10. Recognizing the results obtained, they encouraged the Government to continue the strengthening of its presence throughout the national territory, highlighting the need to reinforce existing protection measures in order to guarantee the right to life and freedom of expression of trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society leaders in their legitimate and important task, urging to maintain this commitment in a determined way. They made an energetic call to the armed illegal groups to respect these rights.
11. They reiterated their exigency towards the illegal armed groups to comply with the corresponding Recommendations of the United Nations High-Commissioner for Human Rights.
12. They congratulated the Government of Colombia for the recent destruction of mines stored by the Armed Forces, in fulfillment of the Convention on the Prohibition, Use, Storage, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and their Destruction. They recognized this measure as one expression more of Colombia's commitment with the consolidation of the International Humanitarian Law. They demanded from the illegal armed groups to cease immediately the production and use of anti-personnel mines.
13. They recognized the Government's efforts, and encouraged it to continue with the improvement of the severe conditions of vulnerable populations, especially the displaced, indigenous and afro-Colombian communities. They expressed the need to strengthen the attention to this remaining preoccupying humanitarian situation. In this sense, they supported the efforts which search durable solutions, such as the National Plan of Integrated Attention to the Displaced Population and the Humanitarian Action Plan, whose concertation is about to conclude.
14. They highlighted the importance of the discussion process aiming at the construction of the International Cooperation Strategy, in which national public entities, the international community and the civil society actively participated. At the same time, they welcomed the disposition of the Government of Colombia to facilitate spaces of democratic participation and encouraged it to continue to work in this sense.
15. They committed to continue supporting, in a determined and concrete way, the International Cooperation Strategy, in line with the priorities established in the six Thematic Groups: Forests; Reincorporation into civilian life; Productive and Alternative Development; Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights; Regional Peace and Development Programmes; Forced Displacement and Humanitarian Assistance. In this context they recognized the commitment of the Governments with the Millennium Development Goals.
16. They highlighted the support given by the international community and the importance of the dialogue and the cooperation between the Government of Colombia and the civil society in all its diversity, including the private sector. They reaffirmed their commitment with the Government of Colombia to continue working in a coordinate way, with the participation of the civil society and the relevant international organisms, within the framework of the London Process.