Delegates from Colombia’s governent and the FARC left for the Norwegian capital Oslo on Tuesday to begin the process to end the conflict that has ravaged the country for 48 years.
“We leave for Oslo with hope and optimism trusting in bringing good news to the country,” said chief of the government’s delegation Humberto de la Calle, when leaving from the military base in Colombia’s capital Bogota on Tuesday. De la Calle said that this Wednesday phase two of the peace talks would start.
“It won’t be a traditional negotiation, it is a new process, we believe that there are the conditions to achieve an effective and favorable result,” said De la Calle.
The team leader asked for the discretion of the media “which is essential because experience shows that excessive inclusion and excessive intervention of the media affects the path of the process.”
The government representatives and the guerrillas set off for the Norwegian capital at the same time, according to media reports.
Director of communist weekly newspaper Voz, Carlos Lozano tweeted at about 2:30PM Colombian time, that the “FARC delegation fly to Oslo to seek peace.”
Delegación de las FARC vuela a Oslo a encuentro con la paz.
— Carlos Lozano G (@carloslozanogui) October 16, 2012
It is estimated that the two negotiating teams will be in Norway by 11AM Colombian time on Wednesday.
