UN chief welcomes request by Colombian gov't, FARC for UN mission to oversee peace process

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas to request the Security Council to establish a political mission in Colombia.

On Tuesday, the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas agreed to request an unarmed political mission to monitor the ongoing peace process and end the 50-year-long conflict in the South American country.

According to a statement issued by the two sides, the mission will comprise observers from Latin American countries and work along with the Colombian government and the FARC as a trilateral mechanism to monitor disarmament of the guerrilla group and the ceasefire.

Ban congratulated the two sides on "yet another significant step toward the peaceful resolution of the armed conflict," while reiterating the UN's commitment to continue to support their efforts in the search for peace.

"The mission would constitute the international component of a tripartite mechanism to monitor and verify a future agreement on a bilateral and definitive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities and the laying down of arms," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General also welcomes the parties' request to the members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to contribute international observers to the mission to be established by the United Nations," added the statement.

The Colombian government has held several rounds of peace talks with the FARC in Cuba since November 2012.

So far, the two sides have reached consensus on land and rural development, political participation for former rebels, combating drugs and narcotics trafficking, and reparations for victims of the conflict.

The remaining topic is the final accord on the end of the conflict, which both sides are committed to reaching by March 23. Enditem