Colombian President Meets Opposition over Disputed Peace Accord with Farc

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has met with opposition leaders to hear their demands for renegotiation of a historic peace treaty rejected by Colombians in a referendum.

Over four hours, Santos met separately with former presidents Andres Pastrana and Alvaro Uribe to discuss their objections to the peace deal Santos signed with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) leader Rodrigo "Timochenko" Londono on September 26. "We are very close to peace," the president said after the talks, but "a broader social consent" is needed. 

Pastrana and Uribe want to amend the deal with tougher terms for FARC, which the accord guarantees 10 seats in Congress and reduced sentences for guerrillas who confess their crimes.

Uribe, whose far-right Democratic Centre party led opposition to the peace deal, said after the meeting that "peace for all is better than a mild agreement for half." Santos and Uribe said proposals for changes would begin review Thursday, and later be presented to FARC.

Santos said he was determined to bring peace to Colombia. "To consolidate and strengthen peace is the path that we must take as a nation. It is my constitutional obligation and my personal conviction," he said in a statement.  "Colombia's peace is near and we will reach it!" he added, using capital letters for emphasis. 

Colombians rejected the deal by a narrow margin in a national vote Sunday, plunging into uncertainty plans to end the more than 50-year war between the FARC rebel group and the government.

The surprise result has embarrassed Santos' government and put him in a difficult position between "no" voters who want to renegotiate the deal and FARC rebels who say it must stand as signed. 

Source : QNA