The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) thanked the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), February 2, for its support to the peace process in the South American nation, which has endured an armed conflict lasting more than half a century.
Commander Iván Márquez, head of the FARC-EP delegation to the peace talks with the government of Juan Manuel Santos, taking place in Havana, noted the agreement of CELAC member countries to join a UN political mission which will supervise and monitor the end of hostilities once a final agreement is signed between the parties.
“We note the satisfaction of the FARC-EP regarding the willingness of CELAC member countries to join the political mission resulting from Resolution 2261 of the United Nations Security Council, which will carry out the monitoring and oversight of the eventual bilateral and definitive ceasefire and end to hostilities, as well as the laying down of arms, once the respective agreement is signed,” Márquez stated just before entering Havana’s Convention Center, to begin a new round of talks with the Colombian government.
“On accepting this altruistic and humane service, that seeks to promote the end of a protracted war, the Heads of State and Government of Latin America and the Caribbean, during the Fourth CELAC Summit, held in Quito, reaffirm that the end of the conflict in Colombia will benefit the entire region and reaffirm the principles agreed in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace,” he added.
The guerrilla leader stressed that one of the causes of increased global solidarity with the Colombian peace process has been, without doubt, the recent “decisive agreements” reached on victims of the conflict, the de-escalation of the war and the adoption of an integrated system of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition.
Peace talks began in Havana on November 19, 2012, and agreements have been reached thus far on other important issues such as agriculture, political participation and the problem of illicit drugs.
“In order that the peace process reach new heights, it is necessary that the people of Colombia keep pushing forward, with more passion, because it's now or never, if we are to have peace with dignity,” Márquez said.
He also expressed thanks to a group of figures for their support for peace and reconciliation in Colombia. Among them he mentioned the former UNESCO director general, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Argentine sociologist Atilio Borón, former president of Uruguay Pepe Mujica and Senator Lucía Topolansky.
The peace talks now move on to what should be the final stage, and the respective delegations are working intensively to reach a final agreement that can put an end to more than fifty years of hostilities.
