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Venezuela congratulates Colombia on peace deal

Xinhua, September 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

Venezuela congratulated Colombia Thursday on the signing of a peace deal between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Venezuelan Foreign Ministry spoke highly of the Agreement to Create a Special Jurisdiction for Peace between the Colombian government and FARC rebels as an important step, according to a press release.

With an aim of ending the longest armed conflict in Latin America's history, the two parties of Colombia agreed to conclude by March 23, 2016the peace-talk process, which started in November 2012 in the Cuban capital of Havana.

"For the national government and the Venezuelan people, peace in Colombia is also peace in Venezuela. This is something that our former leader, Hugo Chavez, fought so strongly for over the years," the ministry said.

"This significant agreement also shows that dialogue between the involved parties is the key to resolving any difference and achieve peace," it added.

The press release also recognizes Cuba's role as the guarantor of negotiations and the location of the dialogues between the Colombian government and the FARC.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro congratulated his Colombian counterpart and the guerrilla group on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

"Peace with justice is announced. Congratulations Colombia. We send all our support from Simon Bolivar and Hugo Chavez's homeland," Maduro wrote.

On many occasions, Maduro has reiterated his strong support for peace dialogues in Havana despite tensions between the two countries caused by a border conflict.

Maduro's position corresponds to the efforts made by deceased, former leader Hugo Chavez, one of the main promoters of this rapprochement between the Colombian government and the insurgency. Endi