Norway hails final peace agreement in Colombia

Norway on Thursday welcomed a final peace agreement by the Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group to end a half-century civil war.

"This is a triumph for the people of Colombia, and I congratulate the parties," Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg was quoted as saying in a statement.

The Colombian government and the FARC announced late Wednesday that they have reached the final peace agreement to conclude their peace negotiations that have been held since November 2012 in Havana.

"The peace agreement aims to resolve many of the fundamental challenges that initially led to the conflict by facilitating wider political participation, access to land and alternatives to coca production," Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs Borge Brende said.

Norway will continue to assist the parties in the implementation of the agreement, he added.

The final agreement was endorsed by the chief negotiator of the FARC delegation, commander Ivan Marquez, and his governmental counterpart Humberto de la Calle, followed by representatives of the guarantor countries Cuba and Norway.

The peace accord will be submitted to a popular plebiscite for the Colombian people to have the final say on the end of the 52-year civil war.

The date or mechanism for the poll has been set for Oct. 2. Average Colombians are expected to welcome a deal to end the fighting, except Colombia's more conservative camps.

Colombia's conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1964. Enditem