HAGUE COMPLIANCE REPORT PREPARATION: COLOMBIA

UNCLAS BOGOTA 002019

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR CA/OCS/CI:KBRESNAHAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOCI CASC PREL CO
SUBJECT: HAGUE COMPLIANCE REPORT PREPARATION: COLOMBIA

REF: A) Bogota 1202 B) Bresnahan-Rogan e-mail Feb. 18


1. Reftel A provided Embassy Bogota's comments regarding
Colombia's compliance with the Hague Convention on
International Child Abduction. Ref e-mail B communicated
that the Office of Children's Issues has decided to
identify Colombia as a country not in compliance with the
convention in the upcoming report to Congress, which will
cover the year 2003.


2. Embassy Bogota greatly appreciates the Department's
consideration of the information submitted in reftel A.
The Embassy requests that, to the extent possible, the
report to Congress include mention of the commitments the
GoC has made in 2004 to improve Colombia's compliance with
the convention. In particular, we wish to call attention
to the Ministry of Foreign Relation's commitment to make
implementing legislation a matter of urgency and to
expedite pending cases, as reported in reftel A, para. 10.


3. Embassy Bogota will continue working with the GoC to
ensure these commitments are honored, and on any other
steps that will lead to improved compliance.

Wood