The head of the Colombian government’s delegation that will hold peace negotiations with the country’s largest guerrilla group FARC calls to “dampen overflowing optimism” over the talks.
In a column in newspaper El Espectador, chief negotiator Humberto de la Calle said “the ideal thing to do is to dampen overflowing optimism.”
“It is understandable that after almost 50 years of conflict, hope proliferates without measure … But it is recommendable to maintain temperance, to control the overflowing appetite for a magical solution,” said De la Calle, adding that it would be wise to “encourage a certain amount of healthy skepticism which is a shield against the volatility of the public opinion, especially when new episodes of violence can surge in the immediate future.”
The chief negotiator and former vice president is expected to leave for the Norwegian capital of Oslo in the coming weeks to begin the formal talks with the FARC.