Colombia, leftist FARC in ‘giant’ step toward peace
Colombia, leftist FARC in ‘giant’ step toward peace
Government and rebels strike deal on demining, a key issue to negotiate peace after decades of conflict
AFP
Published: 12:59 March 8, 2015
Gulf News
HAVANA: Colombia’s government and Marxist FARC rebels announced Saturday they had reached a deal on demining, a stride forward on a key issue to negotiate peace after decades of conflict.
Army and FARC leaders met for the first time in what one diplomat called “unprecedented” talks.
“The government and the FARC have agreed to ask (Norwegian People’s Aid) to lead and coordinate a cleanup and decontamination operation: for mines in rural areas as part of the armed conflict,” a statement from the parties said, read out by Cuban diplomat Rodolfo Benitez.
Lead government negotiator Humberto de la Calle, a former vice president, stressed that: “our goal is to put an end to the conflict ... so the demining proposal is a first step, but a giant one toward peace.”
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