(VOVworld) - The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have signed a historic bilateral and permanent ceasefire deal in Havana on Thursday, ending more than five decades of arms confrontation and paving the way for a final peace agreement between the two sides.
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Cuba"s President Raul Castro (C) looks as Colombia"s President Juan Manuel Santos (L) shakes hands with FARC rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, after signing a historic ceasefire deal between the Colombian government and FARC rebels in Havana, Cuba, June 23, 2016. (Photo: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini)
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Attending the signing were Cuban President Raul Castro, Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, mediators of the peace talks, and Presidents of Venezuela, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Dominica, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The two sides issued a joint statement saying that they reached agreement on permanent ceasefire and disarmament, ensuring security, fighting criminal organizations, and a mechanism to constitutionalize these agreements. The two sides pledged to switch from using forces to political measures on the principles of democracy, liberation of ideology and dialoge discussion. They agreed to lay down arms within 180 days since the final agreement. Columbia and the FARC approved a trilateral monitoring mechanism with the United Nations’ international observer delegation from Latin American countries, and to establish 8 camps and 23 transitioning areas to accelerate the reintegration of former guerrillas.