Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos said Wednesday that his United States counterpart Barack Obama had been informed about exploratory dialogues with the FARC for several months.
President Santos revealed that for several months the Obama administration has been aware of the now-formal negotiations with Colombia’s largest guerrilla group the FARC to end the country’s nearly 50-year armed conflict.
“It is the finishing touch of a strategy and plan that we designed with the United States several years ago. They have always wanted peace here in Colombia and the message that we received from President Obama was very positive. He was aware of these approaches for many months, always supporting them, and even sent special emissaries on various occasions to speak with me about the subject,” said Santos.
The declarations of the president were given during the naming of Carlos Urrutia as the new ambassador of Colombia in the United States.