Obama Praises Colombia-FARC Peace Talks
During an official visit by Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos to the White House on Tuesday, President Obama reiterated his government's support for continued peace talks between the Colombian government and the Marxist rebel group, FARC.
The meeting between the two hemispheric leaders focused on the ongoing peace talks, being held in Havana, Cuba, and on other issues like human rights and trade.
The Colombian government has been fighting against FARC and other leftist military groups for nearly 40 years, with hundreds of thousands of Colombians killed or displaced in the violence.
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White House officials told reporters that Obama "wholeheartedly" supports the peace negotiations and that Colombia's "progress in terms of human and labor rights" is commendable.
"Obviously, there are going to be some very challenging questions moving forward," Obama said following his meeting with Santos. "I'm pleased to see the president's strong commitment on that front."
"With Colombia we have a relationship that is not based on administration, but rather strong links between our two states."
The United States has supported Colombia's anti-narcotics and counterinsurgency efforts since the early 2000s through its "Plan Colombia" program, and more recently, through the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. As coca production has dropped in recent years, the U.S. has decreased funding for its military and policing programs with the Colombian government and has instead focused on free trade and economic cooperation.
"We have gone well beyond the usual items that we used to discuss, like security, like drug trafficking," Santos said on Tuesday. "We are now expanding into topics like education, energy and mutual cooperation."
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