(snip) Uribe Faces EU Questions on Human Rights
By KIM HOUSEGO
Associated Press Writer
January 23, 2004, 5:23 AM EST
BOGOTA, Colombia -- A top European Union official warned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe that he faces a barrage of questions about his government's respect for the rule of law when he visits Europe next month to win backing for his tough, U.S-backed security policies. (anip)
Human rights groups, however, warned the bill could lead government forces to commit abuses, while the United Nations said it was incompatible with international law.
"Many people will want to discuss with him (Uribe) the recommendations of the United Nations," Patten said at a news conference in Bogota. "The improvement in civil liberties and human rights can and must go hand-in-hand with the overcoming of violence."
Uribe, a close U.S. ally, is scheduled to tour EU headquarters in Belgium, Germany and Italy on Feb. 7-14, the president's office said, in a bid to secure political and financial backing for his policies. The United States is funding much of the military buildup.
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