AJC Delegation Visits Colombia, Meets with President Santos

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Jan 11, 2012, 09:45 ET

BOGOTA, Colombia, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An AJC leadership delegation has concluded a two-day visit to Colombia.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/AJCLOGO)

The group, led by AJC Executive Director David Harris, met with President Juan Manuel Santos, Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin, leaders of Colombia's Jewish community, American Ambassador Peter McKinley and Israeli Ambassador Yoed Magen.

The hour-long discussion with AJC was Santos' first official meeting of 2012 after the holiday break, the group learned.

Harris was also invited to address the prestigious strategic think tank of Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Centro de Pensamiento Estrategico, on the subject of the U.S., American Jewry, and the Middle East.

"Our goals in coming to Bogota were three-fold," explained Harris.

"First, we wished to thank President Santos for his principled position that peace between Israel and the Palestinians can only come about from the negotiating table, not unilateral declarations of independence or UN end-runs. In this regard, Colombia's current membership on the UN Security Council is particularly consequential and its stance on key issues, from the Palestinian bid for UN membership to the crisis in Syria, is deeply appreciated, and we said so.

"Second, we wanted to reiterate our commitment to the close and valued friendship between Colombia and the U.S., symbolized most recently by the Free Trade Agreement signed into law in Washington in October. The measure was actively supported by AJC. Indeed, two AJC representatives were invited by the White House to attend the signing ceremony in the Rose Garden.

"And third, we were eager to further our dialogue on matters of mutual interest, including regional development and cooperation, as well as Iran's active diplomacy in Latin America and the ongoing terrorist challenge.

"We learned a great deal from our discussion with the President, who once again demonstrated his commitment to close and enduring ties with the U.S., as well as his friendship for Israel and the search for a peaceful, two-state settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."

AJC's visit took place as Iranian President Ahmadinejad arrived in neighboring Venezuela as part of a five-day trip, his sixth in recent years, that also includes Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador.

Through its dynamic Washington-based Latino and Latin American Institute, directed by Dina Siegel Vann, AJC maintains extensive contacts throughout the region and with the Latino community, including Colombians, in the United States.

Amb. Joseph Harari, a member of the Institute's board, joined the AJC group in Colombia, together with Ms. Vann, Jack Lascar, president of AJC Houston and a frequent visitor to Colombia, and AJC staff member Ellisa Sagor.

In 2007, AJC signed a partnership agreement with the Confederacion de Comunidades Judias de Colombia, the umbrella body of Colombian Jewry. That year Colombian President Alvaro Uribe addressed AJC's Global Forum in Washington.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee