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Colombia, FARC rebels postpone peace talks

By IANS,

Bogota : The Colombian government and FARC rebel group have agreed to postpone until next week the peace talks aimed at ending some 50 years of armed conflict.

The talks were originally scheduled for Thursday, and the delay would allow representatives of both the government and the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) to have more time to “finalize the details of the mechanisms for public participation”, according to a joint statement Tuesday.

“On Monday, Nov 19, in Havana, Cuba, the negotiating envoys will begin discussions about the agreed agenda,” said the statement posted on the website of the Colombian presidency, reported Xinhua.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos first announced in late August that the two sides would hold peace talks.

An initial meeting took place Oct 18 in Oslo, Norway, where envoys discussed a five-point negotiation agenda, which includes rural development and fairer land distribution and guarantees for the group’s transition to a political party or movement.