CUBA: Colombian government says Colombia's FARC have to lay down arms to join the society and politics in the South American country as the FARC and Colombian government hold another round of peace talks

Record ID: 349951

  • Title: CUBA: Colombian government says Colombia's FARC have to lay down arms to join the society and politics in the South American country as the FARC and Colombian government hold another round of peace talks
  • Date: 5th June 2014
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (JUNE 5, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) DELEGATION ARRIVING AT PEACE TALKS CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FARC NEGOTIATOR, RODRIGO GRANDA, SAYING: "We say we're going to take a leap into national political life if the floodgates to democracy open, if the killings stop, if the chainsaw stops, if false positives stop,
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA23LMOGCMYWSU6U3CM5QAOZHLJ
  • Story Text: Colombia's government said on Thursday (June 5) the FARC have to lay down their arms in order to join society and politics in the South American country, as peace talks seeking to put an end to half a century of armed conflict continue.
    Meanwhile Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) negotiator, Rodrigo Granda, said attacks and killings led by the government needed to stop if progress was required.

    "We say we're going to take a leap into national political life if the floodgates to democracy open, if the killings stop, if the chainsaw stops, if false positives stop, if we are allowed to enter public squares then we can talk about issues you will hear about first in due course," Granda said.
    Retired General Mora verbally attacked FARC members taking part in the talks, who in recent days have criticized the government's military doctrine.

    "The members of the FARC have spent several days talking about the Military Forces of Colombia; about doctrine, budget and the reduction of forces. I just want to say the Military Forces of Colombia are legitimate state forces. They hold more than 70 percent support from Colombians and it is the FARC who has declared a war on the Colombian government, on Colombian society. They are the ones who have led the Colombian countryside into despair. The truth is, we are here undergoing a process to put an end to the conflict with the FARC, so that the FARC reintegrate into Colombian society, become part of the Colombian democratic system, demobilize and surrender their weapons. Despite everything they have said these days, they have to surrender their weapons in order to join society and Colombia's democratic system," said Mora, surrounded by the government's negotiating team, shortly before entering the convention centre in Havana where the talks are taking place.
    Both delegations have begun discussing the fourth item on the negotiation agenda, victims of the conflict, which has left millions displaced and 200,000 dead. This comes just weeks before Colombians vote in an election run-off to decide the next president and the future of the peace talks.
    The Colombian government has issued few comments since talks began in Havana on November 2012, based on the belief that discretion is key in order to advance.
    The FARC, however, have used the media to convey their ideas nearly on a daily basis.
    In spite of the controversies, both sides have partially agreed on three points; agricultural development, political participation and a solution to cultivating illicit crops.
    Experts believe the future of the peace talks depend on the June 15 vote, which will define the next president of Colombia between the current president and promoter of the talks Juan Manuel Santos and right-winger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who has said he would impose conditions to continue the process.
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