Foreign Office Minister, David Triesman, met the Colombian Foreign Minister, Carolina Barco, on 14 July. Lord Triesman said: 'This was a welcome opportunity to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest. I reiterated our strong support for the Colombian government's efforts to solve their interconnected problems of the illegal drug trade, the long-running internal armed conflict and human rights abuses. Tackling drugs is a top priority for the UK Government; it is not just a Colombian problem but a shared responsibility of all countries. We, and the rest of the EU, are committed to helping Colombia to tackle this global menace; the new EU Drugs Action Plan fully recognises that.'