OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier concluded an official visit to Bogota Tuesday, saying a Canada-Colombia free trade pact was imminent and praising its peace efforts in a statement.
"Discussions on a free trade agreement with Colombia are ongoing and Canada remains committed to concluding the negotiations in the near future," Bernier said.
Colombia figures prominently in Canada's recent re-engagement in the Americas, he commented.
In Bogota, Bernier met with President Alvaro Uribe and with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo, to discuss Canada's support for Colombia's peace efforts and moves to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
"President Uribe and I had a very constructive meeting," said Bernier. "He and his government have made important progress against the cycle of conflict, violence and underdevelopment that has plagued Colombia for decades."
Over the next year, Canada will provide up to six million dollars (Canadian, US) through the Global Peace and Security Fund to further support peace efforts in Colombia, which has suffered decades of civil conflict.
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