Brussels, 24/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Experts from the Fifteen did not manage to reach agreement on Thursday evening to include FARC on the European list of terrorist organisations. The Spanish Presidency continues to insist that the Fifteen designate this Colombian organisation as terrorist, and should pursue its diplomatic efforts to achieve that before the end of its Presidency, which ends on 30 June. A further meeting of experts should take place on 6 June, another could follow a week later. Sweden, the country the most reluctant to include FARC on the list, however, assures that "it is not against its inclusion". "We lay down no condition", says a Swedish diplomat, whereas, according to other diplomatic sources, it has so far only asked for the FARC to be included on the condition that its name be erased from the list if negotiations between that group and the Colombian Government should resume.
A delegation from the European Parliament has arrived in Colombia to follow the unfolding of the first round of presidential elections, on Sunday 26 May. The delegation is chaired by Jose Salafranca (EPP, Spain), accompanied by Rolf Linkohr (PES, Germany), Fernando Fernandez Martin (EPP, Spain), Javier Pomes (EPP, Spain), and Claudio Fava (PES, Italy).