The Outlook for a Negotiated Peace in Colombia
Public Event
Date and Time
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Please Note Location
210 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
In an effort to shed light on peacemaking efforts within Colombia, USIP is bringing together perspectives on recent initiatives regarding the peace process and the role of the international community.
In his first term, President Uribe backed a Justice and Peace law that demilitarized approximately 32,000 paramilitary combatants. Two illegal armed guerilla organizations remain—the FARC and the ELN—and there are new peacemaking initiatives underway in relation to each. The Spanish, French, and Swiss governments are supporting the creation of a demilitarized zone for a humanitarian exchange of FARC hostages and prisoners. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and others on the Hill have indicated their willingness to support the European initiative. The other armed guerrilla group, the ELN, is currently engaged in talks with the Colombian government (also with European facilitation), and they appear to be close to a preliminary agreement.
This briefing will focus on the ELN process, the humanitarian accord with the FARC, and the role of the international community in supporting peace efforts in Colombia.
Agenda
Welcome
- David Smock
Vice President, Center for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Associate Vice President, Religion and Peacemaking Program, U.S. Institute of Peace
Opening Remarks
- Congressman Jim McGovern
(D-MA)
- Virginia M. Bouvier, Moderator
Senior Program Officer, U.S. Institute of Peace
Panel I: Briefing on Recent Initiatives with ELN and FARC
The ELN Peace Process
- Leon Valencia
Political Analyst and President, Corporacion Nuevo Arco Iris
The Spanish-French-Swiss Humanitarian Accord: Gateway to Negotiations with the FARC
- Angela Giraldo
Peace Commissioner, Cali; and sister of Francisco Giraldo, Valle del Cauca departmental legislator kidnapped by the FARC in 2002
Panel II: The Role of Third-Party Actors in Colombia
The International Community in the ELN/FARC Processes
- Rémy Friedmann
Head of the Colombia Peace Policy Programme at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (Berne)
Preparing the Ground for Peace: Informal Avenues for Dialogue
Discussion
Media Inquiries
Please contact Ian Larsen (+1.202.429.3870) or Lauren Sucher (+1.202.429.3822) in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications.
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