(Communicated by the MFA Spokesman's Bureau)
Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos Calderon arrived in Israel on a 5-day official visit on Friday, July 17 2009, as part of a Middle East tour. He previously visited Lebanon and Egypt, where he attended the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh.
During his visit, Vice President Calderon met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman. He is also scheduled to meet with President Shimon Peres, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, Silvan Shalom, Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs Isaac Herzog, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon and Chairperson of the Opposition Tzipi Livni.
The visit will focus on two central issues: The good bilateral relationship between the two countries, and cooperation in the fields of security and technology. Vice President Calderon will also visit the Colombian regiment stationed with the Multi-National Force in Sinai.
Colombia represents an important support element in Latin America for Israel, especially in light of the anti-Israel line led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the breaking-off of diplomatic relations with Venezuela and Bolivia after Operation Cast Lead.
Vice President Calderon began his career as a journalist, first as a reporter and later as editor of the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. In 1990, he was abducted, together with the daughter of former Colombian president Julio César Turbay, by the Medellin drug cartel, and held for eight months until his release. President Turbay's daughter was murdered after an unsuccessful attempt to rescue her. VP Calderon has a close connection with the Turbay family. They are of Lebanese origin (and pro-Israeli), and this was his prime reason for visiting that country. After his abduction, VP Calderon established a non-governmental organization focused on increasing the awareness of the suffering of terror victims and their families.