Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez will meet with Pope Benedicto XVI in Italy later this month.
Minister for International Relations Jaime Bermúdez Merizalde said that they will “discuss in detail matters that concern Colombia such as security and peace, the exchange and liberation of prisoners and future plans”.
Uribe will take advantage of his visit to Europe to meet with Italian President Silvio Berlusconi and the Spanish Head of State José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Bermúdez Merizalde said both Italy and Spain have a lot of investments in Colombia. Uribe’s meetings with both Heads of State will consolidate trade ties and hopefully forge new ones.
While in Europe, Uribe will also receive the Libertad
Cortés de Cádiz award for his efforts in seeking freedom and his open opposition to terrorism.
