- Title: Colombia’s Santos celebrates agreement with FARC
- Date: 13th May 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (MAY 12, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE COLOMBIAN DELEGATION AND THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE SIGN FOR PEACE TALKS VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND FARC DELEGATIONS DURING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 28th May 2016 16:20
- Keywords: Colombia FARC Juan Manuel Santos peace talks rebels
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / HAVANA, CUBA / SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / HAVANA, CUBA / SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Insurgencies
- Reuters ID: LVA0014HN67UR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos celebrated on Friday (May 13) agreements made the previous day on a series of legal mechanisms to ensure any peace deal agreed at negotiations will be constitutionally binding if approved in a proposed referendum.
The two sides have been in peace talks in Havana, Cuba, since late 2012 to end Latin America's longest war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands.
"An extremely important step was taken yesterday to give stability and judicial security to both parts. Of course, it is in the FARC's interest that the agreements are maintained, guaranteed without changes, and it is in the government's interest too, because at the end of it all, agreements are made between two parts and both parts are interested in complying and guaranteeing their permanence through time. Having accepted these proceedings, the FARC has for the first time recognised our constitution, our laws and the powers which emanate from our constitution," Santos on Friday during a trip to London.
A deadline for a final accord was missed in March, but Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday his government hoped to conclude a peace deal with the FARC rebels "in the very near future".
The government's top negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, has reiterated Bogota's position that any deal would be submitted to a referendum. He said the FARC, long wary of a referendum given that many Colombians harbour deeply anti-rebel sentiments, was warming to the idea. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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