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Colombia and Farc rebels sign historic ceasefire | Colombia and Farc rebels sign historic ceasefire |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Colombian government and the Farc rebels have signed a historic ceasefire deal, bringing them closer to ending more than five decades of conflict. | The Colombian government and the Farc rebels have signed a historic ceasefire deal, bringing them closer to ending more than five decades of conflict. |
The announcement is seen as one of the last steps before a full peace deal is signed, which is expected within weeks. | The announcement is seen as one of the last steps before a full peace deal is signed, which is expected within weeks. |
Colombia's president and the Farc leader shook hands in celebration. | Colombia's president and the Farc leader shook hands in celebration. |
The longest-running insurgency in the Western Hemisphere has killed an estimated 220,000 people and displaced almost seven million. | The longest-running insurgency in the Western Hemisphere has killed an estimated 220,000 people and displaced almost seven million. |
The announcement in Havana caps formal peace talks that started three years ago in the Cuban capital. | |
But it does not mark the start of the ceasefire, which will only begin with the signing of a final accord. | But it does not mark the start of the ceasefire, which will only begin with the signing of a final accord. |
Colombia's President, Juan Manuel Santos, has previously said he hopes to sign that accord by the end of July. | Colombia's President, Juan Manuel Santos, has previously said he hopes to sign that accord by the end of July. |
Thursday's announcement includes: | Thursday's announcement includes: |
"Let this be the last day of the war," Farc leader Rodrigo Londono, known as Timochenko, said at the announcement. | |
Both sides agreed to let the courts rule whether a popular vote can be held in Colombia to endorse the deal, which was a promise made by Mr Santos. | |
The president said at the ceremony that this was a "historic day". | The president said at the ceremony that this was a "historic day". |
"We have reached the end of 50 years of death, attacks and pain. This is the end of the armed conflict with the Farc," he said. | "We have reached the end of 50 years of death, attacks and pain. This is the end of the armed conflict with the Farc," he said. |
The ceasefire and the Colombian media, by BBC Monitoring | |
The announcement of the Farc ceasefire dominated the headlines of the online editions of the main Colombian newspapers and other media outlets. | |
Centre-left newspaper El Espectador featured extensive coverage of the news of the agreement and a banner headline, which reads: "The guns went silent" along a striking image of two guerrilla fighters in action. It also covered the key points of the deal as well as the history of the conflict. | |
Conservative newspaper El Tiempo emphasised President Juan Manuel Santos's statement that the final agreement would be signed in Colombia, not Cuba. | |
Medellin-based newspaper El Colombiano featured a commentary by former President Alvaro Uribe, who remains sceptical about the prospects for peace, saying "the word peace is wounded." | |
One of the main national radio networks RCN ran a story citing Farc leader Timochenko saying: "We are going to do politics without arms." | |
Both sides still need to establish how the peace deal in its entirety will be implemented, verified and approved. | |
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and leaders of Latin American countries also attended the ceremony. | |
Who are the Farc? | Who are the Farc? |
More about the rebels | More about the rebels |
The agreement was welcomed elsewhere, with the EU's foreign representative Federica Mogherini calling it "a turning point in the Colombian peace process". | |
US Secretary of State John Kerry said that "although hard work remains to be done, the finish line is approaching and nearer now than it has ever been". |