The Prince of Asturias praised the economic results of the Government of Colombia in the past few years and highlighted that the country “shows a continuous growth, an appreciable improvement in social rates and increase of foreign investment”

Bogotá, May 27 (SP). The Prince of Asturias, Felipe de Borbón, believes that the agreement that some countries of the Andean Community (CAN) are negotiating with the European Union, including Colombia, will be signed in 2010 when Spain will be at the Presidency of that organization.

“The progress of the three negotiation rounds – held between the Union and Colombia, Ecuador y Perú – allows to be hopeful that the new agreement, in its political dialogue, economic cooperation and association chapters, can be signed in Spain in 2010 during our Presidency of the European Union and framed in the Fourth Summit between Latin America and the European Union”, Prince Felipe said.

The son of the King Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife, Princess Letizia Ortiz, went this Wednesday to a dinner hosted by President Uribe at the Casa de Nariño.

The Prince of Asturias praised the economic results of the Government of Colombia in the past few years and highlighted that the country “shows a continuous growth, an appreciable improvement in social rates and an increase of foreign investment”

He also expressed his aim in keep exploring business possibilities in Colombia and said that he hopes that this can be concreted at the II Investment Forum, this Thursday in Bogotá.

“In the economic field, our companies have bet for the development of Colombia for years. You been here, along with the increasing of exportations of Colombian companies to the Spanish market, help to reinforce some relations that we want to intensify with the II Investment Forum, which we will inaugurate tomorrow, and the signing of a new Financial Protocol”, he pointed.

About diplomacy, Prince Felipe described as excellent the Hispanic – American relations.

He also commended the subsequent participation of Colombia in the International Security Assistance Force to contribute with the peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

At the end and to illustrate the good diplomatic relations between Colombia and Spain, he reminded the signing, in January 2008, of the “Strategic Association Agreement” between both countries and said that “it is the best way to show the qualitative jump (progress) of our bilateral relation, in political dialogue as well as in economic and commercial relations or cooperation for development”