UN says FARC disarmament deadline in Colombia achievable

Record ID: 355971

  • Title: UN says FARC disarmament deadline in Colombia achievable
  • Date: 3rd March 2017
  • Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** U.N. OFFICIALS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE COLOMBIAN AND U.N. FLAGS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHIEF OBSERVER FOR THE U.N. MISSION TO COLOMBIA, GENERAL JAVIER PEREZ AQUINO, SAYING: "The United Nations mission in Colombia started with the grad
  • Embargoed: 17th March 2017 01:18
  • Keywords: FARC Colombia United Nations peace weapons disarmament rebels deadline
  • Location: BOGOTA, URIBE MOUNTAINS, CAUCA, COLOMBIA
  • City: BOGOTA, URIBE MOUNTAINS, CAUCA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA00166ELYKJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The chief observer of the United Nations peace mission to Colombia told media on Thursday (March 02) that the disarmament of FARC rebels is going according to plan.
    As part of a peace plan signed last year, FARC rebels are now due to surrender their weapons at designated mobilization zones around the country. The rebels are expected to have turned in all their arms by June.
    However, the UN and some members of the FARC have raised the possibility of a delay in the process amidst logistical problems.
    But at a news conference in Bogota, General Javier Perez Aquino of the UN mission told media the process is progressing.
    "The United Nations mission in Colombia started with the gradual implementation of three specific tasks. First, identifying and registering all weapons in FARC-EP temporary camps in 26 areas and in temporary transitional points of standardisation. Secondly, the storage of weapons from FARC-EP members as part of the mechanism for monitoring and verifying. Thirdly, planning and verifying the destruction of unstable weapons that are being held in storage."
    Perez Aquino added that deadlines set out in the peace plan are achievable.
    "The United Nations is able to meet the D+180 (agreed date for handover of FARC weapons). We are able to meet all activities related to the arms handover mentioned. We have been able to start yesterday for the day that D+180 is fulfilled in regards to all activities that are planned. That is the commitment of the United Nations and we have the logistical and technical capacity to do this," he added.
    Despite the reassurances, there is still mistrust over the disarmament process. Some have called for visual documentation to prove the handover of weapons.
    But Perez Aquino dismissed the idea, extolling the credibility of the United Nations.
    "I think that a photo (of the weapons handover) is not completely necessary. I hope you all have confidence in the technical and professional seriousness of the United Nations, this is what is going to give confidence and peace to Colombians," said Perez Aquino.
    Under the terms of the peace accord, the FARC, which began as a peasant uprising 52 years ago, is to form a political movement in the South American nation.
    The accord has been heavily criticized by many, and was initially rejected in a referendum, as being too lenient on the rebels who will be spared jail time.
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