I am going to share my time with my colleague Guy André.
Good afternoon and welcome, Ambassador.
Clearly, a free-trade agreement is negotiated so that both parties derive economic benefits from the potential trade. We have examined free-trade agreements where, before ratification, it is not always easy to see the big picture of the benefits to be gained and the losses that we are prepared to accept.
However, this one contains a significant additional element, that of human rights. We have to come to terms with this element, to try not to legitimize some things indirectly and to see how we can improve the situation.
When he appeared in December 2007, Minister Emerson told us that the human rights situation in Columbia was improving thanks to President Uribe's leadership. The president has been in office since 2002 and his second term will expire in 2010.
Can you tell me what specifically has been done in human rights and what objectives are being pursued?