Colombian president says peace deal will be reached between government, guerrillas

[Judi Lynn]

Colombian president says peace deal will be reached between government, guerrillas
By Juan Forero, Published: November 9

BUCARAMANGA, Colombia —Negotiations with Marxist guerrillas are closer than ever to ending a 50-year conflict, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said in an interview after a breakthrough in talks, even as his political opponents accuse his government of selling out to the rebels.

“I think this time we will reach an agreement, and we will have peace,” Santos said, appearing relaxed, the collar of his dress shirt unbuttoned, as he flew on the presidential plane to this northern city to oversee infrastructure projects. “We have never even been close to what we have already achieved.”

The president spoke to The Washington Post two days after government and rebel negotiators announced a deal that would give guerrilla commanders a new life in politics once they disarm. The two sides will negotiate how to stamp out the cocaine trade in guerrilla territory, a critical point for the United States, which has spent billions of dollars to help Colombia eradicate drugs in those regions.

Santos said he believes that a peace deal and cessation of hostilities could take months, with negotiations in Havana likely dragging on beyond the presidential election in May. But the latest development buoyed a process that has been battered in the news media and by influential opponents led by Santos’s predecessor, Álvaro Uribe, who is now running for Senate.

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/colombian-president-says-peace-deal-will-be-reached-between-government-guerrillas/2013/11/09/6d3db47e-4976-11e3-b87a-e66bd9ff3537_story.html

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