UN / COLOMBIA MISSION

STORY: UN / COLOMBIA MISSION
TRT: 01:14
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 10 JULY 2017, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior

10 JULY 2017, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Pan left, Security Council voting
4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Maria Angela Holguin Cuéllar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colombia:
“This peace process has been built by Colombians and for Colombians. It must serve for all of us to have hope for a better future. However, as in any strong democracy there is a dynamic debate, but little by little people will start to see the benefits of peace and become willing to give it a chance.”
5. Med shot, members of Security Council applauding
6. Med shot, Chinese ambassador applauding
7. Zoom in, Chinese ambassador and Colombian Foreign Minister approaching stakeout
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations:
“It not only means a new chapter in Colombia, but also means that for all the issues in the world that we face, no matter how complicated they are, given the political will there will be a negotiated solution benefitting the people and benefitting the parties involved.”
9. Zoom out, Chinese ambassador shaking hands with Colombia Foreign Minister and ambassador

STORYLINE:

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Monday a resolution to create a political mission tasked with verifying the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia.

Resolution 2366 created the “Verification Mission” which will verify the process of political, economic and social reincorporation of FARC members, the implementation of personal and collective security guarantees for the FARC, and comprehensive programmes on security and protection measures for communities and organisations in the territories. The mission will start its activities on 26 September and is mandated to perform for an initial period of 12 months.

Speaking at the Security Council today (10 Jul), Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin Cuéllar said the support of the international community and the Security Council has been very important in strengthening the trust between the two parties that negotiated peace. She said at the time the resolution was being adopted, the FARC-EP had handed over its individual weapons in a process guaranteed by the first UN special mission. She added that they must now complete handing over weapons hidden in caches over the next two months, after which the Verification Mission could begin its work. She noted that this mission would be of smaller size and with a specific mandate to verify the actions the Colombia takes in the implementation of agreements related to the political, economic, social, and security and protection guarantees.

Cuéllar stressed that the peace process had been built “by Colombians and for Colombians” and must serve as a “hope for a better future.” She said “as in any strong democracy there is a dynamic debate, but little by little people will start to see the benefits of peace and become willing to give it a chance.”

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Chinese ambassador Liu Jieyi said the Colombian peace agreement is an important milestone for the country. Liu, whose country is currently presiding over the Security Council, said the international community was firm in its support for the implementation of this agreement. He noted that this was not only a new chapter in Colombia, but it “also means that for all the issues in the world that we face, no matter how complicated they are, given the political will there will be a negotiated solution benefitting the people and benefitting the parties involved.”