NORWAY: Director of Peace Research Institute Oslo says Norway is eager to engage in peace negotiations between the Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels as sides prepare for talks that could put an end to Latin America's longest-running insurgency

Record ID: 349607

  • Title: NORWAY: Director of Peace Research Institute Oslo says Norway is eager to engage in peace negotiations between the Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels as sides prepare for talks that could put an end to Latin America's longest-running insurgency
  • Date: 14th October 2012
  • Summary: OSLO, NORWAY (OCTOBER 13 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS STREET SCENES IN DOWNTOWN OSLO, ROYAL PALACE IN BACKGROUND OSLO PARLIAMENT BUILDING NORWEGIAN FLAG OSLO, NORWAY (RECENT) (REUTERS) PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OSLO (PRIO) DIRECTOR, KRISTIAN BERG HARPVIKEN, IN FRONT OF COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRIO DIRECTOR KRISTIAN BERG HARPVIKEN SAYING: "First of all Norway is one
  • Embargoed: 29th October 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Norway
  • Country: Norway
  • Topics: Crime,Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7K7VY46MF3VGSVUQPUIPWNEWF
  • Story Text: The head of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) said on Saturday (October 13) Norway is keen to help broker a peace deal when the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) start peace talks in the Scandinavian country on Monday (October 15).
    The talks, first peace attempt in over a decade, are due to take place in an unknown location reportedly in the outskirts of the Norwegian capital.
    Ahead of both sides' negotiating teams arrival in Oslo, PRIO director Kristian Berg Harpviken explained Norway's role and involvement in the attempt to end five decades of conflict.
    "First of all Norway is one of the most prominent peace facilitators in the world and has been so over the past two decades starting with the Oslo treaty that was signed in 1993. When it comes to Colombia in particular Norway did play a prominent role in the peace negotiations from 1998 to 2001 which certainly were a failure but has maintained contact with the parties in Colombia ever since," Harpviken told Reuters.
    The two sides have set an agenda for talks that includes topics such as the rights of victims, demobilisation, land ownership in rural areas, cocaine production and smuggling disarmament, cessation of hostilities and demobilisation.
    For Harpviken, Colombia's biggest challenge could be closing the socio-economic gap and securing economic redistribution in the long term.
    "The challenges in Colombia are certainly running very very deep. Trust is in itself a key problem given that the last negotiations and ceasefire concluded in the context of those negotiations were basically misused by the government to clamp down on some of its adversaries. Also the economic inequality in Colombia is of massive dimensions and one critical issue in the negotiations will be the ability to really look at economic redistribution. But we do know from other peace processes, think about South Africa for example, that economic redistribution is by the end of the day very, very difficult to achieve," he said.
    Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos recently said he was "cautiously optimistic" that his government could reach a peace deal with the rebels. Santos has been laying the groundwork for peace since he took office, creating a reform that would help return land stolen by the FARC and paramilitary groups. He also pushed through a constitutional amendment that set the legal basis for eventual peace with the rebels. The reform prohibits guerrilla leaders accused of crimes against humanity from holding political office.
    The rebel group was formed in 1964 but its membership has fallen to about 8,000 in recent years. The FARC is funded mainly by the cocaine trade and extortion and has resorted to recruiting children as support for its Marxist cause has waned.
    The choice of venue of Norway and Cuba, where talks will move to, plus Venezuela and Chile as supporting countries, provide an ideological mix intended to make both sides feel comfortable with the process. Norway is well known for its international mediation work, while Cuba and Venezuela are run by socialist governments with whom the FARC feel political affinity. Chile's conservative government is an ally of Bogota.
    Oslo residents also spoke out about their country's mediator role in peace negotiations.
    "We have a tendency to think that the world turns around Norway so we should like put our fingers into everybody else's conflicts and sometimes we might maybe take a little bit more responsibility than we are able to cope with. But if we can help in stabilising the situation in Colombia that would still make me happy," Raymond Norberg said.
    Erik Langmodist said Norway's neutrality is what makes the country a good venue. "It's positive if Norway can contribute to the peace talks between the Colombian government and FARC. The reason why Norway is always chosen for this I don't know, but even though we are a member of NATO we are considered to be somewhat neutral," he said.
    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and U.S. leader Barack Obama are among those wishing the talks success. Critics of the peace process are worried the rebels could use the time to build strength and prolong the war. Former President Alvaro Uribe has consistently opposed the negotiations.
    FARC is considered a terrorist organization by Washington and the European Union.
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