Colombian Government and FARC-EP Ready to Sign New Peace Agreement

Colombian Government and FARC-EP Ready to Sign New Peace Agreement
Fecha de publicación: 
23 November 2016
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Bogota, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) After more than one month of uncertainty, marches and intense debates in Cuba and Colombia, the government and FARC-EP will sign a peace agreement that commits them to end a long conflict.

The ceremony has been set for tomorrow at the capital's Colon Theater, when President Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP), Timoleon Jimenez, will once again shake hands by official zing the last treaty, which they assured is the definitive accord.

The next step will be the validation, which will take place in the Congress of the Republic, an entity that will later prepare the laws of peace.

The main leaders of the insurgent movement, headed by its top chief, arrived in Bogota yesterday from Cuba.

Implementing the current agreement as soon as possible, is fundamental to comply with the obligation I have with the Colombians (...) facing this so exceptional situation, I respectfully ask you to look to the future, the president said yesterday during a speech to the nation.

The negotiators of the government and the FARC-EP have finished on November 12 the second text, derived from the initial one signed in Cartagena de Indias in September and later rejected in the October referendum.

After a national dialogue and with the proposals of the promoters of the negative vote, the two sides have readjusted the agreement, which included some changes, extensions or clarifications in 56 of 57 reviewed issues.

My first and main concern is for the peace process, and the risk -which is growing every day- of losing what has been achieved given the fragility of the bilateral ceasefire, the president said after insisting on the need to proceed with speed to apply everything agreed.

After more than eight peace processes over 34 years that did not end, we have in front of us the unique opportunity to close this very painful chapter of our history which has plunged millions of Colombians into mourning, he emphasized.

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