Brussels, 06/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday at the European Parliament, European Commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero Waldner said that when a strategy is set up for dealing with the armed groups in Colombia, " we in the EU should examine how to support the peace process results financially". According to Waldner the meeting arranged by the Colombian government on 3-4 February 2005 will provide an occasion for the international community to reaffirm its solidarity with the Colombian people. She explained that the EU had to use all the instruments it had to promote respect for human rights in Colombia: good governance and sustainable development and social cohesion (one of the priorities announced in May 2004 at the summit of Guadalajara for EU/Latin American cooperation, she pointed out. These instruments include active diplomacy, the "extremely favourable system of trade" accorded by the EU to Colombia and development aid. At the April 2001 donors conference, the Commission promised EUR 140 million for Colombia till 2006 and EUR 136 million had already been committed by the end of 2003, noted the Commissioner, who also outlined that the priorities of this aid would be: strengthening the institutional, particularly justice: support for the peace process through our "peace laboratories, locally integrated development aid for victims of forced displacement".
(2 December, CFSP High Representative Javier Solana welcomed the "importance of the decision of the Colombian government to grant a pardon to 23 FARC members" (Colombian guerrillas). In a press statement, Solana reiterated the appeal of the EU for the, "immediate and unconditional release by illegal armed groups of all detained hostages. Such an act could be undertaken in the framework of a humanitarian agreement, which hopefully would contribute to the peace process in Colombia"