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Cuban president discusses peace process with leaders of Colombian rebel groups

Xinhua, May 12, 2017 Adjust font size:

Cuban President Raul Castro on Thursday met top commanders of Colombia's two guerrilla groups to discuss the peace process in Colombia.

Castro held separate talks with the delegation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) led by its leader Timoleon Jimenez and the delegation of the National Liberation Army (ELN) led by Nicolas Rodriguez, chief of its central commando, according to a government release.

In the two meetings, Castro exchanged views with the guerilla groups on the peace process in Colombia and the discussions held between the two groups.

Earlier this week, the two delegations held several meetings in Havana to discuss joint strategies to move forward a political solution to the decades-long armed conflict in Colombia that has left more than 220,000 casualties and displaced millions of people.

The FARC delegation thanked Castro for Cuba's support for the four-year negotiations between the group and the government of President Juan Manuel Santos in Havana, which concluded in a peace agreement.

For its part, the ELN delegation also expressed its recognition to the Caribbean island nation for acting as a guarantor, together with Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Norway, in its negotiations with Bogota.

Castro reiterated Cuba's commitment to continuing to back the negotiations and a roadmap to end the armed conflict.

On Thursday in Havana, the FARC and the ELN issued a joint statement calling for an end to the political violence in Colombia and completing implementation of the peace process.

"Both guerrillas have the common will to build lasting peace in Colombia and it will be with combined efforts that deep transformations of our society based on social justice and dignity can take place," said the statement.

In September 2016, the FARC and the Colombian government signed a peace deal, witnessed by 15 Latin American presidents and then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

However, the agreement was rejected by over 50 percent of Colombian voters in a referendum.

After two months of further discussions, both sides changed several issues of the initial peace agreement and had it approved by the Colombian Parliament.

By the end of May, FARC members are expected to finish handing over their weapons to UN officials and will continue the process of reintegrating themselves with the society and political life.

Currently, the ELN is set for a second round of discussions with Santos' government in Ecuador on May 16. Endi