COLOMBIA-REBELS/CUBA-TALKS FARC and Colombian government kick off first round of peace talks in new year

Record ID: 371485

  • Title: COLOMBIA-REBELS/CUBA-TALKS FARC and Colombian government kick off first round of peace talks in new year
  • Date: 2nd February 2015
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (FEBRUARY 2, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ARRIVAL OF VEHICLE WITH FARC (REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA) DELEGATION CAMERAMAN VARIOUS OF FARC DELEGATION GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE FARC NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) JOAQUIN GOMEZ, REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) REPRESENTATIVE, SAYING: "Today we begin the fir
  • Embargoed: 17th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA96N1ZUYPNQ2QVUXXYGT18VMR
  • Story Text: The Colombian government and FARC rebels commenced the first round of peace talks in 2015 on Monday (February 2) with negotiations concerning victim reparation at the forefront of the agenda in an effort to end more than half a century of conflict.
    Representatives from both sides have been meeting in Cuba for over two years and have so far reached partial agreements on three of the five agenda points: political participation for the FARC, an end to the illegal drugs trade, and land reform.
    "Today we begin the first round of talks for the 2015 year. It involves the continuation of a civilized dialogue between sides that have been in conflict for more than half a century. Multiple reasons have brought the government and the FARC-EP (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia- People's Army) to sit down on equal terms to sign the agreement in Havana in August 2012 with the hope of arriving at a diplomatic solution to the internal socio-political conflict that never attained a winner and a loser," said FARC delegate, Joaquin Gomez.
    Agreements on justice and reparations for victims and the demobilization of the FARC, which analysts say will be the most difficult points, are still being negotiated.
    "Within this perspective it is in our interest that we agree to procedures and mechanisms to achieve reparations for the victims of all parties linked to the conflict, armed and unarmed, regardless of status, hierarchy, condition or origin, regardless of whether they were or are part of the state," said Gomez.
    The slow rate of progress on important issues has generated a certain degree of pessimism. Last month, FARC leader Rodrigo Londono said he believed the signing of a peace deal was not imminent.
    The rebel group, which has about 8,000 combatants, declared a universal and indefinite ceasefire on December 20 and since then has denounced military offensives that they say could jeopardize a truce with the government.
    The government delegation, led by former Colombian Vice President Humberto de La Calle, entered the talks at the Havana convention centre on Monday (February 2) without speaking to journalists.
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