CFSP Statements

Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the prolongation of the mandate of the Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

1. The European Union commends the work and expresses its full support for the presence of the Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose mandate will expire in October 2006. The Office plays an important role in the work of protecting and promoting human rights and international humanitarian law in Colombia, through monitoring, advice, technical cooperation, and information activities.
2. The European Union is in favour of a continued strong role of the Office. The European Union expresses its hope that the forthcoming discussions between the Government of Colombia and the High Commissioner of Human Rights on the prolongation of the mandate of the Office will be guided by the spirit of close co-operation and a constructive dialogue.
3. The European Union underlines the importance of the active support and use the full range of the services of the Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights by the Government of Colombia, in the areas of advice, technical cooperation, monitoring and evaluation of the Human Rights situation in the country.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia  continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.