The Vice Minister of Interior of the United Kingdom, Alan Campbell explained that having accomplished the cooperation goals of human rights with the Armed Forces, they decided to redirect the aid to other programs, as the ones related with the fight against impunity.

Bogotá, May 3 (SP). “We believe in our commitment to the Government of Colombia and our shared work is a work that has given results, which can not be ended; on the contrary it must continue” the Vice Minister of Interior of the United Kingdom said.

At the end of a meeting with Francisco Santos, Vice President of Colombia, at the house of John Anthony Dew, Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Bogotá, the diplomat confirmed the extension of the bilateral cooperation and the strengthening of the close relation between both countries.

During a press conference, Campbell highlighted the progress of Colombia in human rights.

“We endorse the actions of the Government of Colombia against human rights violations, which have been very fast, precise and prompt”, pointed the British diplomat.

He also explained that having accomplished the cooperation goals of human rights with the Armed Forces, they decided to redirect the aid to other programs, as the ones related with the fight against impunity.

“We are certain that valuable lessons have been learned as the result of this program and those lessons have been assimilated by the Armed Forces of Colombia, by the way the manage their operations. There is evidence that lessons have been learned from our program”, he said.  

He added that there is no relation between the concerns about human rights violations and the finalization of cooperation programs, in this subject, with the Armed Forces.

“I am here to clarify those doubts and tell you that it was just a program that it was going to end”, Campbell expressed.

He also said that the Government of the United Kingdom is constantly redefining its cooperation policies, and in that way it has decided that the best way to clear up the violation of human rights in Colombia is “looking for the strengthening of the fight against impunity”.

“It is very important that our cooperation doesn’t stop”, underlined Campbell.

As for Vice President Santos, he said that the British Government “finds in Colombia a strong ally” and that bilateral dialogue for cooperation will continue. 

Santos Calderón pointed that about human Rights, the Government of Colombia has been strong against criminals, but always in the frame of law.

“We are the first to worry about human rights violations and that is why we act with institutional transparency. We take administrative actions that have not been taken in other parts of the world, and we support judicial measures that can help clarifying each case” Vice President added.

Support to “Shared Responsibility”

The conversation between both leaders resulted also in the support for the campaign led by Vice President Santos about the environmental effects of illegal crops.

In that way, the Vice Minister of Interior of the United Kingdom, expressed the commitment of his government facing the co-responsibility in the fight against drugs, and its concern for the environmental destruction that Colombia has as a consequence of drug trafficking.

“I have been told how the drug production is harmful for Colombia’s environment, and also how this is nourishing violence. I am sure that our joint efforts have a real and positive effect, at confirming that the price of cocaine has increase in the United Kingdom at the same time that its purity has decrease. Those are clear signs that the pressure over production, and in general our efforts, are working”, Campbell pointed.