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Colombian rebels say gov't demand stalls peace talks

Xinhua, March 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rejected a government demand for "unconditional surrender" and described it as a new obstacle to peace talks.

"They want the insurgency to unconditionally surrender but this will not be discussed. This is a peace process, not a demobilization of a guerrilla movement," said FARC negotiator Carlos Lozada in Havana, Cuba.

In a brief declaration to the press, Lozada said that the government's demand is "a new obstacle" to the ongoing negotiations in Havana and that this would slow down but not paralyze the process.

Last week, the Colombian government and FARC agreed to postpone the March 23 deadline for a final peace deal.

The parties have agreed on agricultural development, political participation of FARC, common stance against drug trafficking, and reparations to victims of the armed conflict.

The negotiations are trying to end a conflict which has raged for 52 years, leaving 220,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and around 6 million people displaced, according to official figures. Endi