The leader of Colombia’s largest armed rebel group, the FARC, has hit back at government accusations that his comments about a speech made by president Santos were aimed at derailing negotiations.
Government representatives and commentators in the media had accused Timoleon Jimenez, alias “Timochenko,” of violating terms to the talks taking place between the Santos administration and the FARC in Havana.
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Timochenko had criticized a speech made by President Santos as having a “serious and irresponsible bias” and said that he would expose what he considers to be the real truth behind the peace talks. Santos said in the speech to the UN General Assembly in New York City that the FARC was “a dead cow on the road.”
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The government’s chief negotiator Humberto De la Calle described Timochenko’s comments as incomprehensible. He said: “The confidentiality [of the peace talks] was agreed on by both parties through the signatures of plenipotentiaries from both sides.”
Also the UN resident coordinator in Colombia, Fabrizio Hochschild, on Thursday said that confidentiality is an essential element of peace talks.
MORE: Confidentiality Essential To Colombia Peace Process: UN
But Timochenko dismissed the attacks on his remarks as sensationalism spurred by media.
“Frankly, it is outrageous and malicious to talk about our threats in that sense,” said the rebel leader.
He also affirmed his commitment to mutually-agreed secrecy throughout the duration of the talks. He said: “It is worth remembering what is stated in section 4 of the agreed operating rules, that discussions of the Committee shall not be made public.”
Sources
- Adenda necesaria (FARC-EP)
- ‘Timochenko’ niega que vaya a violar pacto de confidencialidad (La F.M.)
- La ‘adenda’ de alias Timochenko (Semana)