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Colombian gov't, rebel group agree on legal mechanisms for final peace deal

Xinhua, May 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Colombian government and Colombia's most powerful rebel group on Thursday agreed on a series of "institutional mechanisms" regarding the final peace deal they have been negotiating for.

The mechanisms represent an expedited and safe way to reach a final peace deal and will give it "institutional and judicial stability," said the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in a joint statement together with the sponsors of their talks -- Cuba and Norway.

"It's a balanced agreement that gives judicial security to the government, the FARC guerrilla, the victims and even those responsible for crimes," said Humberto De La Calle, the government's head negotiator.

He said the goal of the ongoing negotiations is to end the five-decade armed conflict this year to guarantee the human rights of every Colombian citizen.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC's top leader Timoleon Jimenez announced in Havana last September a six-month frame to sign a final peace agreement that would put an end to the longest armed conflict in Latin America.

After the deadline for a final deal was missed in March, both sides have kept discussing various issues including a bilateral cease-fire, paramilitary groups and the procedures for the guerrilla to hand over its weapons.

Santos said on Wednesday that his government hoped to reach a peace deal with FARC rebels "in the very near future."

Once reached, the final peace deal will be presented to the Security Council of United Nations and its secretary general, according to Thursday's statement.

Since their negotiations began in November 2012, both parties have reached agreements on mechanisms for access to land for poor peasants, transformation of the guerrilla into a political party, justice, the combat against narcotics, mine clearance and search for missing persons. Endi