MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombia offers to mediate in the YPF conflict between Argentina and Spain

Vice-President Garzón: “we have excellent relations with the two governments”

Colombia is available to mediate between Spain and Argentina to find a solution to the dispute over the seizure of YPF from Repsol, said Colombian Vice-president Angelino Garzón.

“In this particular case that has surfaced we would like to see a fluid dialogue between the governments of Spain and Argentina”, said Garzón on Monday during an official visit to Kenya.

However Garzón said that neither side had made contacts with Colombia to that effect, “nor the government of Spain nor the government of Argentina”. But “obviously all we can contribute as a government, through dialogue to overcome these differences we are available and willing to do so”.

Garzón said that the Colombian government highly values and has excellent relations with President Cristina Fernandez. “We acknowledge her leadership in Argentina and in the region, and we also have an excellent relation with Spain”.

Therefore based on Colombia’s friendship relation both with Argentina and Spain, “we would like both sides to take advantage of this and find a path of dialogue and understanding”.

Garzón said that an enormous contribution to help solve the contentious issues could come from “the different government from the region as well as from the International Labour organization, ILO”, which the Colombian Vice-president aspires to lead in a round of negotiations taking place in Kenya.

“I also think the Spanish and Argentina business associations could be of great support in establishing a dialogue and helping with a solution”, added the Colombian leader.

Garzón pointed out that earlier in the week Spanish president Mariano Rajoy visited Colombia and president (Juan Manuel) Santos re-assured the legal framework which prevails in Colombia for all investors, domestic and from overseas.

“We are most respectful of the decisions taken by each government but in Colombia we have a policy of legal guarantees, of political and administrative legal guarantees with all those people that invest or have assets in our country” underlined Garzón.