Peace process will “shatter into a thousand pieces” if prolonged - Santos

Record ID: 82931

  • Title: Peace process will “shatter into a thousand pieces” if prolonged - Santos
  • Date: 7th October 2016
  • Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF POLLING STATION CLOSE-UP OF BALLOT PAPERS A MAN VOTING CLOSE-UP OF BALLOT PAPER BEING DEPOSITED IN BOX
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 05:51
  • Keywords: Colombia FARC peace Juan Manuel Sanots Alvaro Uribe
  • Location: BOGOTA AND ALGARROBO, COLOMBIA
  • City: BOGOTA AND ALGARROBO, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA0025308APZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Colombia's President said on Thursday (October 6) that the nation's peace process would "shatter into a thousand pieces" if prolonged, as talks progressed between government and opposition delegates, aimed at salvaging an agreement with FARC rebels which was rejected by public vote.
    The delegations met for the second day of talks in Bogota, after President Juan Manuel Santos met with former president and current senator Alvaro Uribe, who led the winning "No" vote, for the first time in five years on Wednesday (October 5).
    The leaders came together to discuss the possibility for further peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), after the nation narrowly voted to reject a standing agreement in a plebiscite on Sunday.
    Carlos Holmes Trujillo, a delegate for the "No" camp, which seeks tougher penalties for FARC commanders, said progression had been made.
    "We want to say to the country that the mission that was granted us has had good results today, something concrete which puts these negotiations in motion which all of us hope will lead up to a national agreement which allows us to construct the lasting and stable peace we all want," Trujillo told reporters after the meeting.
    Santos, meanwhile, visited the northern region of Algarrobo, where 3,756 families have been affected by Hurricane Matthew.
    He stressed the importance of time in salvaging the peace agreements, just two days after having extended a ceasefire with FARC rebels until October 31 as it was nullified by the "No" vote.
    "If we sit down with good will and the intention to achieve an agreement soon, as we said yesterday in the meeting, we will achieve a new agreement very soon which will satisfy the majority of Colombians. I hope we can begin to implement it for the good of all of Colombia, but we need to act quickly. If we prolong the process of meetings and negotiations, the process will shatter into a thousand pieces," said Santos.
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