On the occasion of Colombia’s first-ever state visit to the UK, where Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos de Calderon comes as an official guest of Her Majesty the Queen, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said:

'Throughout five decades of violence and bloodshed in Colombia, the Catholic Church has provided support and accompaniment to countless victims of conflict in their quest for justice, reparation and lasting peace. This peace process is now in a further, challenging phase.

'I welcome every effort by all involved to bring that lasting peace to Colombia and a better future for all its people.'