UN General Assembly
1999

democracy, preserves territorial unity and gives every Colombian his or her rightful place in our common destiny. The quest for peace is not limited to dialogue and negotiation or to putting an end to armed conflict. Achieving peace requires much more than convincing the parties to sit at the negotiating table and reach compromises. It requires rebuilding a society and State in which the causes of conflict have been eradicated, which strengthens the State and helps to create the foundations of a stable and lasting peace. We Colombians have taken seriously the responsibility of achieving peace. As our recent history makes clear, international support is also necessary for us to face our challenges. Colombia needs financial support from multilateral organizations, from friendly countries and from non-governmental organizations to complement my Administration’s efforts. Such support is key for Colombia. To this end, we have formulated a strategic package for peace, economic prosperity and the strengthening of the State; it is called Plan Colombia. It synthesizes our economic, political and social views and aims to defend