COLOMBIA-REBELS/CUBA-TALKS Sponsors of Colombian peace talks worry over escalation of hostilities

Record ID: 148156

  • Title: COLOMBIA-REBELS/CUBA-TALKS Sponsors of Colombian peace talks worry over escalation of hostilities
  • Date: 7th July 2015
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (JULY 7, 2015) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF GUARANTOR COUNTRIES, CUBA AND NORWAY, WALKING AND LISTENING TO NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REPRESENTATIVE OF GUARANTOR COUNTRY FROM CUBA, RODOLFO BENITEZ, SAYING: "We call on the parties to urgently de-escalate the armed conf
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8NXPOH44B5LO39D9HR2A73TRB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Four guarantor countries sponsoring the Colombian peace process on Tuesday (July 7) called for an "urgent de-escalation" of hostilities that have threatened to derail talks in Cuba between the government and leftist rebels.
    "We call on the parties to urgently de-escalate the armed conflict. We urge the parties to strictly restrict any actions that cause damage to victims or suffering in Colombia, and to step up the implementation of measures that build trust," said Rodolfo Benitez from Cuba, reading from the statement by Norway, Cuba, Chile, and Venezuela.
    The Colombian government's top negotiator has threatened to walk away from peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as a result of the recent intensification of the war.
    For its part, FARC has been advocating a bilateral cease-fire, which the government has rejected based on previous attempts when the FARC used truces to rearm.
    Latin America's longest war has killed 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1964. The Havana talks have produced the most progress to date toward ending the conflict.
    In March, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos agreed to halt aerial bombing in recognition of a unilateral cease-fire called by FARC at Christmas time.
    But headway toward peace suddenly came to a halt in April when violence broke out anew. Santos ordered a resumption of air assaults in response to a rebel attack that killed 10 soldiers.
    Since then both sides have carried out more attacks, with FARC formally renewing offensive operations and sabotaging roads, pipelines, and utilities.
    Over the weekend, lead government negotiator Humberto de la Calle said peace talks had hit a low point and noted they were unpopular with sceptical Colombians.
    The FARC lead negotiator said the rebels would not provide a rubber stamp to the accord.
    "We have to take care of this (peace) process carefully, like a small child, which compared with others could become the shortest of all (peace processes) in the world. We wish to sign a peace accord with this government but it is necessary to remove the legal obstacles in our path and especially the push to submission which prevents us all from seeing there are two parties who are sitting at the table and that this conflict has a deep political basis," FARC negotiator, Ivan Marquez said.
    Public support is important since the voters would have to ratify the text of any final agreement.
    Since starting talks in November 2012, government and rebel negotiators have reached partial accords on three of five agenda points: land reform, the political future of FARC and an end to illegal drug trade. Still under discussion are victim reparations and FARC's demobilisation.
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