Spotlight: FARC willing to "enrich" peace deal but not renegotiate, says top leader

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are willing to talk with different political sectors to enrich the final peace deal signed with president Juan Manuel Santos. However, they are not willing to renegotiate the agreement despite it being rejected by a small margin at the polls, explained the FARC's top leader, Rodrigo Londono, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"We are optimistic but we are not talking about renegotiating the agreement. The No option won the plebiscite by a very small margin amid a reduced number of voters, as around 63 percent of the population did not vote. By no means do I believe the peace process is destined to fail due to this adverse result," said Rodrigo Londono, who is also known as Timoleon Jimenez.

Dressed in a typical white Cuban shirt and showing a strong sense of humor, Jimenez said the days after the plebiscite had served to "analyze" the results amid nationwide protests demanding that the deal be implemented to end over 50 years of armed conflict.

In his conversation with Xinhua on Tuesday, Jimenez stated the result had caused a whirlwind effect as the Colombian population are now curious to know precisely what was discussed and agreed in Havana over almost four years.

"We are full of optimism. I think those critical of the agreement can make positive contributions to add on to the deal and enrich it. However, renegotiating it would be an outrage, it would mean starting again from scratch," he said.

Jimenez said both sides should use "common sense" after many years of complex discussions to continue implementing the peace agreement.

The top FARC leader believes that numerous sectors of Colombian society, including those that campaigned for the No option, had the possibility to participate in the peace process over the last four years.

"Some of those sectors that led the No campaign had the opportunity to participate and did not. They had the opportunity to share their ideas. Many of them were invited at different times of the peace process and chose not to participate," he recalled.

"I feel satisfied for what we have achieved so far because it (the peace process) no longer belongs to the Colombian government or the FARC. It is in the hands of the Colombian people to interpret these agreements as a way of opening up a brighter future for...our country," he added.

However, Jimenez acknowledges that risks are always there, particularly with those that want to "harm" the peace deal and benefit from the war.

"Those sectors that, for one reason or another, oppose the peace agreement are now running out of oxygen. That is good for the peace of Colombia. The risks will always be there, but the support of the vast majority of the people and the international community will be definitive in the near future," said the top FARC leader.

Hours after the No won by 50.22 percent of the vote on Oct. 2, the rebels recognized the result and vowed to keep working to implement the peace deal signed in Cartagena on Sept. 26.

Ten days after the shocking outcome, both sides have been working to find common ground.

"We have been listening to different opinions, exchanging with many people of the Colombian society and political actors. Advisers on both sides are working non-stop to find a way out of this impasse as soon as possible," Jimenez revealed.

The top FARC commander believes the pact signed with Santos is the "best one" both sides could negotiate, although the rebels would have liked a "better one."

However, added the rebel leader, the agreement is a symbol that political contradictions in Colombia will not be resolved through violence and people will no longer be imprisoned or murdered for thinking differently.

"We are convinced this deal lays a solid primary foundation for building peace in Colombia. This is a society deeply affected by conflict, and there are very deep wounds that need to heal. To achieve reconciliation between Colombians, we must resolve our differences in the political arena, through democratic debate and not through violence," he said.

Jimenez also told Xinhua that the plebiscite result does not deny the peace deal as the agreement itself has legal foundations within international humanitarian law and is protected by the Colombian Constitution.

"We are not held back by what happened. The plebiscite had a political connotation but it does not affect the judicial aspects of implementing the peace deal," he said.

Timochenko said he is confident about a "quick and effective" solution to the political impasse that will allow for definitive peace in his country.

The conflict in Colombia has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1960s. Enditem