The government is creating ‘false’ high expectations for the talks aimed at ending Colombia’s 50-year old civil war, negotiators from Colombia’s largest armed rebel group said in a statement on Monday.
FARC’s head negotiator Ivan Marquez said that despite the peace talks having progressed, a quick resolution shouldn’t be expected from the recent meetings with victims and the government’s military delegation set to discuss bilateral ceasefire.
The government meanwhile has released a statement saying that “every month, peace is closer.”
President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday that peace “will be a long way, no doubt, but we started to take firm steps and, in fact, it is going well under way,” according to news agency EFE.
Marquez said in his statement, that the government is creating false expectations and should start being realistic.
On 22 August, the government announced a 10 member sub-committee to discuss a bilateral ceasefire. Despite nearly two years of talks, there has never been a formal cease-fire.
MORE: Colombia announces 10 member sub-committee to discuss bilateral ceasefire with FARC
“FARC won’t ever accept a military hierarchy to resolve problems that are of a political nature,” said Marquez, referring to the fact that the government has nominated high-ranking military officials to fill their places on the sub-committee.
The FARC called for an emergency meeting with the government to re-establish “the bilaterality of the peace process and read the content of what has been agreed.”
The peace talks between the FARC and the Colombian government have been ongoing since November 2012. So far, both parties have come to agreements on the topics of agrarian land reform, political participation, and illicit drugs and crops. They have entered the 28th round of talks and are currently discussing reparations of victims.
Sources
- Peace process is not entering the final stretch (FARC press release)
- Negociadores colombianos viajan para los diálogos de una paz cada vez más cercana (Agencia EFE)