Colombian rebel leader confirms commitment to peace process

The top leader of Colombia's largest rebel group on Wednesday expressed willingness to conclude a peace deal this year with the government after more than three years of negotiations.

"We still have a few differences on various issues, but we have the commitment, and so does President Santos, to move forward and agree on these topics to finally put an end to this long war," said Timoleon Jimenez of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in an interview with Cuban state television.

Jimenez said his leftist guerrilla group is prepared to become a political force without having to renounce its principles and ideals.

"It's just a change of methods, but our goals, ideas and values from 50 years ago are still valid today, and we need to implement them in peace," he said.

On Sept. 23 last year, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Jimenez agreed to reach a peace deal by March 23 during their historic meeting in Havana.

They missed their self-imposed deadline as the two sides are still working on a bilateral cease-fire and the guerrilla's handover of weapons.

"These are very delicate and important issues and we cannot set a pressuring timetable because we need a real good peace deal for our people," said Jimenez.

The rebel leader praised Santos' courage to undertake this process.

Santos has recently announced that once a final peace treaty is signed with the FARC and its 17,500 men are demobilized, different rehabilitation programs will welcome them.

Colombia's Congress has also passed a public order law, allowing the government to create a special zone to welcome demobilized rebels and to suspend capture orders against FARC members who agree to abide by the treaty.

The peace talks, which have been going on in Cuba since November 2012, are seeking to end the FARC's 52-year conflict with the government, which has killed over 220,000 people and displaced more than 6 million others. Endi