By Luis Jaime Acosta
BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia wishes to sign and start to execute a peace handle the Segunda Marquetalia armed group before existing President Gustavo Petro leaves workplace in simply over 2 years, the head of the federal government’s working out group stated on Friday.
Segunda Marquetalia is a dissident faction of the now-demobilized Revolutionary Army of Colombia (FARC) rebels whose leaders at first consented to a 2016 peace offer, however went back to arms pointing out unsatisfied pledges 3 years later on.
Peace talks in between the group, which has 1,751 members, and the federal government are set to start in Caracas, Venezuela on June 24. Petro is attempting to end 6 years of armed dispute that has actually eliminated a minimum of 450,000 individuals.
The federal government desires “a major, constant, settlement, without shocks, which in the fastest time possible attains conclusive outcomes for the nation,” head arbitrator Armando Novoa informed Reuters.
“If possible, we desire a signed accord with Segunda Marquetalia before the existing federal government ends … before 2 years are out,” he stated. “We are reasonably positive.”
The talks will not consist of a ceasefire, Novoa stated, unlike settlements with other armed groups, due to the fact that Segunda Marquetalia guaranteed upon its starting not to assault the militaries or abduct civilians.
“We aren’t speaking about a bilateral ceasefire, however about de-escalation procedures,” he stated.
Future settlement cycles might occur in other places, consisting of Colombia, he included.
The peace procedure with Segunda Marquetalia deals with legal difficulties due to the fact that its leaders initially backed and after that deserted the FARC offer, possibly making them qualified just to give up. However Novoa stated he made sure a service that appreciates the law is possible.
Some specialists have actually drifted amnesties for rebel leaders, however Novoa stated that would need to be analyzed and depends upon favorable outcomes at the settlements.
The federal government is holding different talks with National Freedom Army rebels and the Estado Mayor Central armed group, a previous FARC faction that never ever signed the 2016 offer.
Equipped groups battle security forces and each other for control of area and financially rewarding prohibited markets such as drug trafficking and illegal gold mining.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime AcostaWriting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Modifying by Rod Nickel)