After the first week of talks between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), the parties announced this Friday the scope of three agreements, including requesting Brazil, Mexico, Chile and four other countries to accompany the peace dialogue.
Through the second joint communiqué, the parties stated that, once the dialog table is installed On November 21, the deliberations took place at the Waraira Repano, in Caracas, “in an atmosphere of trust and optimism.”
Regarding the agreements reached after the first week of talks, they reported that the first one contemplates the ratification of Cuba, the Kingdom of Norway and Venezuela as guarantor countries. In addition, they decided to invite Brazil, Chile and Mexico to join as guarantor countries of the process.
They also agreed to request Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain to consider their participation in the process as accompanists and learn of their willingness to reactivate the Group of Accompaniment, Support and Cooperation Countries, GPAAC.
They also agreed to advance diplomatic actions with the United States (USA) to consult their willingness to participate in the table through a special envoy.
Colombia and ELN agree to resume humanitarian actions
As a second agreement, the point of humanitarian actions was touched on. In this sense, they decided to resume the agenda established in March 2016, and advance the processes of humanitarian relief. This action will be accompanied by the United Nations Verification Mission and the church.
The last point of the agreement establishes the formation of a communication team “to report in an objective, timely, clear and transparent manner, on the development and progress of the dialogue process”.
The negotiation process is taking place at the Humboldt Hotel in Caracas with delegations from Cuba, Norway and Venezuela as guarantor countries, and the accompaniment of the Secretary General of the United Nations through his special representative in Colombia and the Catholic Church.
Carlos Mendoza, representative of the Government of Venezuela, and Marit Brance, representative of the Kingdom of Norway, were in charge of reading the statement.
Below is the full Communiqué released by the Dialogue Table between the National Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
