Declaración de Principios y Mecanismo de Cooperación entre Colombia y Venezuela

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Country/entity: Colombia
Venezuela
Region: Americas
Agreement name: Declaración de Principios y Mecanismo de Cooperación entre Colombia y Venezuela
Date: 10 Aug 2010
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Interstate/intrastate conflict(s)
Colombian Conflict (1964 - )
The Colombian conflict is really a set of conflicts and the peace agreements reflect both different processes relating to different conflict groups and dyads, and processes taking place at different times in a complex peace process history. The Colombian civil war has its roots in the late 1940s and the violent infighting between liberal and the conservative factions. Emerging from the liberal tradition with a thorough grounding in nationalist communist ideology, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (FARC) began its armed insurrection against the Colombian government in 1964. Other left-wing guerrillas emerged as well, most notably the socialist/populist M-19, which would later be integrated into the formal political system in the peace process of 1990s; the National Liberation Army (ELN), which has strong roots in liberation theology, and the Maoist Ejército Popular de Liberación (EPL) (also part of the 1990 process, less successfully). Several stages of peace processes were undertaken by the various sides, which were further complicated by the emergence of right-wing paramilitary ‘self-defence’ forces. The peace agreement between the Colombian government under President Uribe and the main alliance of the paramilitary groups, the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), concluded in 2005 and is still heavily disputed as several remnants are still active, but now subsumed under the heading ‘Bacrim’ (Bandas criminales). In addition, FARC and ELN maintain a military presence, but both demonstrate a strong interest in completing successful peace negotiations with the government, with the most recent agreements being between FARC and the Government.
Colombian-Venezuelan Diplomatic Conflict (2010)
The two countries share a long border in rough terrain, which is difficult to maintain and control. The disputes over the area have been longstanding, as have the issues of movement of individuals, goods, and organized groups. In July 2010 the outgoing Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe, accused the Venezuelan government of providing a safe haven to the Colombian guerilla groups by allowing them to cross into Venezuelan territory and hide there. Venezuela rejected these claims, and the diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed as there was speculation concerning a potential armed conflict. However, the tensions eased in August 2010 with the election of Juan Manuel Santos as the new president of Colombia, and the subsequent agreement on cooperation and reestablishment of diplomatic relations. However, many of the cross-border problems remain unresolved in practice, resulting in a series of diplomatic disputes.
Stage: Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Colombia V - Santos
Parties: President of the Republic of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Hugo Chávez Frías
Third parties: -
Description: An agreement relating to a diplomatic crises between Colombia and Venezuela, which also addressed guerilla groups operating within Colombia. The agreement provided for reestablishment of diplomatic relations and bilateral dialogue, special cooperation for the social and economic development of border regions, establishment of 5 working groups, cooperation mechanism at the level of the foreign ministers to develop a strategy to address the problems at the borders and to prevent the activities of groups at the margin of law.

Agreement document: CO_VE_100810_Declaración de Principios -tr.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): CO VE_100810_Declaración de Principios.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 2, Cooperation mechanism,
The presidents of the Republic of Colombia and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, present in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, have agreed to establish a cooperation mechanism at the level of their foreign affairs ministers for the design of a joint strategy to address social, economic and security issues in the border zone. The aims of the mechanism include preventing the presence or action of insurgent groups operating on the fringes of the law.
The presidents also decided to coordinate the two countries’ activities to increase the presence of both states in the border zone.
The presidents instructed the chancellors to define the specific procedures required to ensure the mechanism is effective. The mechanism will be supported by the Secretary General of UNASUR.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Available at: https://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/CO%20VE_100810_Declaraci%C3%B3n%20de%20Principios.pdf

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

Santa Marta, 10 August 2010

The following text is the declaration of principles and cooperation mechanism announced this Tuesday by the presidents of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, at the end of the meeting held at Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in Santa Marta.

Declaration of principles

The presidents of the Republic of Colombia and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, present in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, agree to relaunch bilateral negotiations, restarting diplomatic relations between the two countries based on transparent, direct and respectful dialogue, giving priority to diplomatic means.

The dialogue will seek to guarantee the permanence and stability of bilateral relations in strict compliance with international law and applying the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of the states and respect for their territorial sovereignty and integrity.

The presidents also decided to promote bilateral integration in favour of the development of the two peoples, particularly in border areas and communities, where they agreed to promote joint social and economic programmes.

They also agreed for the creation of five working commissions:

commission for the payment of debt and the stimulation of trade relations;

working commission for an agreement regarding economic complementarity between the two countries;

commission to develop a work plan for social investment in the border zone;

commission for the joint development of infrastructure works;

security commission.

The cooperation mechanism agreed by the presidents is set out below:

Cooperation mechanism

The presidents of the Republic of Colombia and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, present in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, have agreed to establish a cooperation mechanism at the level of their foreign affairs ministers for the design of a joint strategy to address social, economic and security issues in the border zone.

The aims of the mechanism include preventing the presence or action of insurgent groups operating on the fringes of the law.

The presidents also decided to coordinate the two countries’ activities to increase the presence of both states in the border zone.

The presidents instructed the chancellors to define the specific procedures required to ensure the mechanism is effective.

The mechanism will be supported by the Secretary General of UNASUR.