Documents
Letter from Antonio Garcia to Minister Schmidbauer,
May 28th 1998
Translated from German
Minister
Bernd Schmidbauer -
Bonn
28th May 1998
Dear Friend,
Firstly, let me wish you all the very best for your birthday, and also express the hope that you may enjoy health and well-being to aid you in the accomplishment of your political and humanitarian tasks.
The way to our friendship was difficult, because of the distance that divides us and the very different circumstances of the lives we lead on our different continents. Nevertheless, we are grateful to you for the courage you have shown in attempting to help us in the search for solutions to the difficult problems by which our country is beset.
We know that you too encountered difficult moments over the course of these months, but with time and good sense the way to truth has been cleared.
Today the situation in our country has changed, and the peace process is faltering. We do not consider it appropriate, therefore, to hold negotiations with the present government because it has not been consistent and because it is coming to its end, but we would like to begin a dialogue with the people, with the various sections of society, to analyse and discuss the problems of our nation and to explore possible solutions for the future.
We would like to get together with other people and to endeavour to create a more solid peace process, because we want the desire for change and for peace to grow among all Colombians, and because it is our duty to help and to clear the way for all those who desire a different Colombia.
My organisation would like to set up a meeting of various personages from our country and I would like to ask for your help in order that these talks can take place in Germany, if possible in June of this year. We believe that at this meeting decisions can be reached on what the next steps should be in the search for a better future for our people.
Respectfully,
Antonio García
P.S. We are very grateful to the bearers of this letter and hope to receive your answer via them.
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