- Title: COLOMBIA-PEACE Colombia rebels extend unilateral ceasefire
- Date: 20th August 2015
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (AUGUST 20, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF ARRIVAL OF DELEGATION OF REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) TO PEACE TALKS MEMBER OF FARC DELEGATION LOOKING ON GENERAL OF FARC LEADER, CARLOS ANTONIO LOZADA, BEFORE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) LEADER, CARLOS ANTONIO LOZADA, SAYING: "The issues still to be discussed are complicated, and need the appropriate political climate (to proceed). Therefore we have decided to maintain the unilateral cease fire, despite recent events taking place in different regions of Colombia." FARC DELEGATE LISTENING TO LOZADA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) LEADER, CARLOS ANTONIO LOZADA, SAYING: "But we demand a corresponding attitude by the government so that the de-escalation of the conflict can be consolidated, until we obtain the ceasefire and end to bilateral hostilities that all of Colombia demands." SHIELD WITH FARC FLAG VARIOUS OF ARRIVAL OF GOVERNMENT DELEGATION
- Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7Y1NAI69GHZAK341KX5LHRMQH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Colombia's Marxist rebels indefinitely extended a month-old ceasefire on Thursday (August 20) as peace talks resumed in Havana, with the government still pledging not to conduct air raids on rebel camps.
Despite the occasional incident, fighting between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has more or less stopped in the South American country, the site of the only remaining guerrilla war in the region, as close to three years of negotiations enter a critical stage.
Rebels leaders are publicly backing continued talks.
"The issues still to be discussed are complicated, and need the appropriate political climate (to proceed). Therefore we have decided to maintain the unilateral cease fire, despite recent events taking place in different regions of Colombia," said rebel leader, Carlos Antonio Lozada, reading from a FARC statement before the talks resumed.
The onus, however, lies with the government, the rebels said.
"But we demand a corresponding attitude by the government so that the de-escalation of the conflict can be consolidated, until we obtain the ceasefire and end to bilateral hostilities that all of Colombia demands," he added.
This peace process has gone further than previous attempts, with partial deals already reached on land reform, the FARC's political participation and ending the illegal drugs trade. The sides are now in a delicate and final phase as they debate the thorny issues of rebel demobilization, victim reparations and ending hostilities.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos ordered a halt to air raids against FARC rebel camps in July and set a November deadline for substantial progress at the talks, stating he wanted a final deal by the end of the year.
Cuba and Norway are mediating the talks, and Chile and Venezuela are observing them.
Colombia's economy is viewed as one of the most promising in the developing world, and investors would welcome a peace accord.
Other Latin American and Caribbean countries have unanimously called for a peace agreement and see it as crucial to regional integration.
The FARC grew out of a 1960s peasant movement demanding land reform. It has been fighting successive governments ever since in a conflict that has killed more than 220,000 and created one of the world's largest internally displaced populations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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