Negotiations between the FARC-EP and the Colombian government have spanned more than four years to end the five-decade war. Photo: file
The Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) this Saturday updated the public on the progress made during the second cycle of peace talks taking place in Mexico City.
A statement released via the Twitter account of Senator Iván Cepeda, who is a member of the government delegation, noted that “delegations are currently working on defining the agenda for dialogues, Agreement that allows us to deal with issues such as society’s participation in this peace process and the bilateral ceasefire.”
Regarding this aspect, the parties stated that “they have already made progress in defining a common vision of the peace process and a methodology for developing the agenda”.
According to the text, the delegations agreed on issues without which it is impossible to develop this peace process. These include the legal-legal characterization of the ELN as an armed rebel political organization with which the national government is holding peace talks, and the creation of a contact and communication point for the armed group’s delegation that will operate between cycles of the talks. .
The mandate of the Group of Accompanying, Supporting and Cooperating Countries (GPACC) for the peace process was also discussed and agreement was reached on pedagogy and communication for a culture of peace.
The statement states that, in addition, the report of the Humanitarian Commission of the Round Table, which toured the Lower Calima and Middle San Juan area, was adopted and the parties present at the Round Table will assume their responsibilities to ensure continuity thereto Purpose.
According to the text, the office also dealt with “complaints from both delegations about violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law that have occurred on the state’s territory.”
On the other hand, both delegations received the visit of the Minister of Justice, Néstor Iván Osuna, who explained to the members of the table “the draft law on the humanization of prison and penitentiary policies” and “reaffirmed the continuity of his leadership in this regard to the agreed humanitarian aid measures for the political prisoners of the ELN”.
Finally, delegations indicated that this is the case during the current dialogue cycle “They have held numerous bilateral meetings with the Guarantee Countries, the members of the GPAAC and the Constant Companions,” those who thanked for their contribution to the search for peace in Colombia and for the hospitality of Mexico.
Negotiations between the Colombian government and the ELN resumed in November 2022 in the Venezuelan capital Caracas. On February 13, the peace dialogue table began in Mexico City, whose guarantor countries are Cuba, Norway, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil and Mexico. The accompanying countries are Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Spain.
(With information from TeleSur)
See also:
Cuba: The absurdity of the guarantor of peace “sponsor of terrorism”