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Colombian president indicates extension of deadline for peace deal with FARC

Xinhua, March 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos indicated Wednesday that he might have to extend the deadline for a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group.

"After so much effort and so much time, if we can't reach a good deal by March 23, we will set another date. I will sign a good deal for the Colombian people," said Santos in the southwestern city of Pereira.

"We must finish on March 23. ... However, there is still much left to resolve. I want to be clear that I will not sign a bad agreement just to meet this date."

He also reiterated that the peace process will not offer immunity to FARC members.

The Colombian government initiated a peace process with FARC three years ago. The two sides agreed last year to sign a peace deal by March 23, 2016, to bring an end to over 50 years of armed conflict, which has left thousands of people dead.

So far, the government and FARC have already reached agreements on agricultural development, rebel participation in politics, the fight against drug trafficking, the search for people who went missing during the war, and reparations by FARC to its victims. Endi