Global anti-terrorist fight implications for Colombia
Estimated reading time: 1min 36secs
By Fernando Cepeda Ulloa  Sep-13-01
Greater than before, Colombia will be in the eye of the storm. Several facts can be spelled out in connection with the new priority in the global and US agendas: the global war against terrorism viewed as a network that must be dismantled (following Kissinger’s remarks in The Washington Post, September 12).

Let us briefly analyze the circumstances.
1) Colombia harbors three terrorist groups so described by the Department of State: FARC, NLA, Self-defenses.
2) There is a distension zone without rules or controls, that has been harshly criticized due to what happens there and what might happen.
3)The IRA-FARC link has prompted indignation in the US and Europe.

Despite criticism to the deadline extension,
President Pastrana favored it due to the
alternative was 'total war'

4) The illicit drugs control (90% of the world market) funds part of the international terrorism and due to the FARC-IRA link, the FARC were renamed by a Washington Post lead article as ‘drug-traffickers terrorists’, an adjective that cannot be worse.
5) Colombia has its office in the Security Council, where it will have to take strong stances toward terrorism.
6) Colombia chairs the Security Council Sanctions Committee against Afghanistan.

In his September 12 address, the Secretay of State made specific reference to Colombia. Next October 7 is the deadline for the distension zone. Although many oppose the extension, the President announced eight days ago that he would authorize it because the alternative was total war. It is hard to believe that the international community will allow the existence of an over 42,000 km zone for God’s sake in this part of the Hemisphere.

Consequently, we expect a change in the precarious situation of the peace process.

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