Washington, DC - Senator Kerry made the following comments today after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced upcoming peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
“Colombians have suffered for far too long from the violence and insecurity associated with its decades-long internal armed conflict. President Santos has taken the difficult steps toward negotiating a political solution and has indicated that lessons learned from prior peace talks will be taken into consideration. This is an important and welcome sign. Any negotiation that helps strengthen Colombia’s democracy, promote the respect for the rule of law and human rights, and bring peace to the country is a good thing and deserves support.”
President Santos stated today that talks are scheduled to begin in October and will be initiated in Oslo, Norway.
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