Pubdate: Sat, 23 Jul 2016
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2016 Guardian News and Media Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Author: Keith Morris

PEACE IN COLOMBIA AND THE COCAINE TRADE

The progress towards a peace deal between the Colombian government 
and the Farc guerrillas is greatly to be welcomed (Editorial, 21 
July). The terms are inevitably controversial and many who have 
suffered at the Farc's hands will find it hard to see them pass 
directly into politics. But that is the price of peace. The cocaine 
trade has fuelled this conflict over the last 35 years or so. You are 
absolutely right to propose that governments which wish to support 
peace in Colombia should consider backing President Juan Manuel 
Santos's efforts to reform the UN system of drugs prohibition and 
open the door to experiments in regulated markets in drugs like 
cocaine, just as is already happening with cannabis.

Keith Morris

British ambassador to Colombia 1990-94
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