2015-07-24 08:45:00

Colombian peace talks renew in Cuba


(Vatican Radio)  Colombian peace talks between the government and the FARC group are again underway in Cuba, with both sides promising to take one step back from the conflict in the field, while energizing themselves at the negotiations table. 

Listen to James Blears' report:

After a gap of weeks, the peace negotions are finally back on track in Havana, Cuba. 

They've been dragging on since November 2012, and only half of the issues on the Agenda have been resolved. lingering hot political potatoes include transforming the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, i.e. the FARC, into a political party, disarming them and investigating war crimes.

All of this, and more, is still being viewed with caution, rather than handled with care.

The FARC has bluntly stated that none of its Forces will be held accountable for war crimes.  Yet both sides have since agreed to form a Commission to thoroughly examine this emotive issue.

On a practical basis, it's been agreed to form working groups to try and speed up the snails pace progress.

The problem of the FARC controlling their widespread disperate elements is yet again highlighted, with the announcment from the Colombian Army that one of its soldiers was shot dead by FARC guerrillas in Central Colombia, while trying to remove war ordinance. This seriously challenges the de-escalation agreement of July 12th.

The overall aim is to finally reach peace, concluding a conflict which is now in its fifty first year.








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