Colombia to hold peace talks with 2nd-largest rebel group
Colombia to hold peace talks with 2nd-largest rebel group
Libardo Cardona, Associated Press
Updated 7:02 pm, Wednesday, March 30, 2016
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia will hold formal peace talks with the country's second-largest rebel group, heightening expectations for a definitive end to a half-century of political violence in the Andean nation.
The government has been in exploratory talks in Ecuador with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, for more than a year. Negotiators for the two sides announced Wednesday at a press conference in Caracas that those talks will now be formalized around a six-point agenda including justice for victims, disarmament, and reintegration into society. A start date has not yet been set.
Negotiations will kick off in Ecuador and then continue in Venezuela, Brazil and Chile and Cuba. The five countries along with Norway will sponsor the talks.
"If we can make peace, it will be the end of guerrilla fighters in Colombia and thus in Latin America," said Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos.
More:
http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Colombia-to-hold-peace-talks-with-2nd-largest-7217807.php
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141397118
