- Title: COLOMBIA/FILE: One year anniversary for Colombian peace talks
- Date: 19th November 2013
- Summary: SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FARC SOLDIERS WALKING IN FORMATION VARIOUS OF ARMED REBELS
- Embargoed: 4th December 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba, Colombia
- City:
- Country: Cuba Colombia
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD6EU4Z1ZV9OB7IZ7ZTQSTWX39
- Story Text: Colombia marked one year since the start of peace talks between the government and FARC rebels on Tuesday (November 19) and the government's lead negotiator said now was the opportune time to push to end the 50-year-old conflict.
Lead government negotiator Humberto de la Calle called on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to end the violence that has plagued the South American country for decades costing the lives of more than 200,000 people and displacing more than a million more.
"We believe the opportunity to end the conflict is here and now. The Colombian people understand this. We hope the FARC share this yearning, that they are prepared to definitively renounce the use of violence. There is no room for assassinations or personal attacks, this needs to be clear," De la Calle said.
Polls indicate most Colombians support the efforts to end the longest running insurgency in the Americas, but the issue has duped past governments who have tried only to see negotiations collapse.
President Juan Manuel Santos, a former defence minister under his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, has laid his political chips on the table and is looking to secure a peace deal ahead of an expected reelection bid in 2014.
However, the talks have been exceedingly slow-moving, frustrating Santos and giving fodder to the opposition who have criticized the peace plan, some of whom advocate a hardliner approach championed by Uribe.
Though the peace process faces some strong headwinds, many remain optimistic that peace may be at hand.
"Let's, for a moment, think about the end of the conflict. Can you imagine Colombia without war? Without news of murders, attacks, bombings and ambushes? Can you imagine Colombia at peace? Giving its full attention to all the real challenges of progress and well-being? Can you imagine all the good we could do with a country at peace? Making this dream a reality is what moves us. It is now time to do everything we can for peace. We are not handing the country over to terrorists like some have said. We are looking for reasonable agreements."
The two parties have been negotiating a five-point peace plan in Havana, Cuba since November 19 of last year.
So far they have only reached two partial agreements, one on agrarian and land reform and the other surrounding the future participation of rebels in politics.
The "all or nothing" plan is designed to end with the FARC laying down their weapons and transforming into a political movement.
Despite the ongoing peace process both sides are still engaged in combat.
Colombian armed forces continue to seek out FARC rebels who have stepped up attacks on economic infrastructure.
The peace process could hinge on Santos' re-election. He has until November 25 to announce whether he will seek a second term and continue with the project. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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