Humberto De La Calle, the government’s chief negotiator at the ongoing peace talks with rebel group FARC, on Thursday denounced a proposal by the rebel group’s leader to publish the details of the meetings held in Havana, Cuba.
The FARC’s supreme commander Timoleon Jimenez, or “Timochenko”, threatened on Wednesday to publish the “truth” about the peace talks after accusing Presdient Juan Manuel Santos of speaking with “serious and irresponsible bias” during a speech before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
In the speech, Santos described the FARC, Colombia’s oldest and largest rebel group, as “a dead cow on the road.”
MORE: FARC leader claims Santos’ public discourse is hurting Colombia’s peace talks
The threat to release details of the discussions at the peace talks, which began in November, was described by De la Calle as “frankly incomprehensible.”
“The confidentiality [of the peace talks] was agreed on by both parties through the signatures of plenipotentiaries from both sides,” said De la Calle.
“The proposed revelation of what is going on in Havana does not constitute, nor could it constitute a threat for the govenrnment.”
De la Calle added that “what is really annoying the FARC is that the government is staying faithful to the agenda and is refusing to diverge at any point from that agenda.”
So far agreement has only been reached on land reform, the first point on the five-point agenda. The two parties are now discussing political participation, which will be followed by drug trafficking, the practicalities of the end of the conflict, and the rights of the victims.
MORE: Text of deal between Colombia’s government and rebel group FARC to end armed conflict
De la Calle also anounced that on October 3 negotiations will recommence in Havana. He added: “we hope that the conversations continue to be held in good faith, with the efficacy, seriousness and speed that everyone in Colombia expects.”
Sources
- “Confidencialidad fue pactada por ambas partes”: De la Calle a las Farc (Semana)
- Farc preparan informe sobre estado actual y “verdadero” del proceso de paz (Semana)
