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| Colombian rebels announce ceasefire ahead of Havana peace talks | Colombian rebels announce ceasefire ahead of Havana peace talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Colombia's main rebel group has announced a unilateral ceasefire before much-anticipated peace talks with the Bogota government, in Cuba. | |
| The announcement was made by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) delegates in Havana, the venue of the landmark talks. | The announcement was made by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) delegates in Havana, the venue of the landmark talks. |
| Iván Márquez, the group's chief neogotiator, said Farc would stop military operations and acts of sabotage against government and private property from midnight on Tuesday to 20 January. | Iván Márquez, the group's chief neogotiator, said Farc would stop military operations and acts of sabotage against government and private property from midnight on Tuesday to 20 January. |
| "This policy decision of the Farc is a contribution made to strengthen the climate of understanding necessary so that the parties that are starting the dialogue achieve the purpose desired by all Colombians," said Márquez as he arrived for the talks. Márquez said the move was "aimed at strengthening the climate of understanding necessary for the parties to start a dialogue". | |
| The rebel overture puts pressure on the Colombian president, Enrique Santos, who has refused to consider a ceasefire during the talks. | The rebel overture puts pressure on the Colombian president, Enrique Santos, who has refused to consider a ceasefire during the talks. |
| There was no immediate response from Santos's government after the announcement, and Colombian negotiators in Havana also declined to comment. | There was no immediate response from Santos's government after the announcement, and Colombian negotiators in Havana also declined to comment. |
| "You have to take this announcement with a grain of salt," Félix Lafaurie, head of the National Federation of Cattle Ranchers, said on Colombian local radio. "I hope this is going to be a sign of the Farc's goodwill and not that they're then going to take swipes on substantive issues." | "You have to take this announcement with a grain of salt," Félix Lafaurie, head of the National Federation of Cattle Ranchers, said on Colombian local radio. "I hope this is going to be a sign of the Farc's goodwill and not that they're then going to take swipes on substantive issues." |
| Havana will host the talks after an initial round of discussions in Oslo, Norway, last month. The Farc has been at war with the Colombian government for nearly half a century. There is no deadline for agreement, though both sides say success must come within months. | Havana will host the talks after an initial round of discussions in Oslo, Norway, last month. The Farc has been at war with the Colombian government for nearly half a century. There is no deadline for agreement, though both sides say success must come within months. |
| The talks, the result of seven months of secret negotiations in Havana, follow several failed efforts over the decades to end the conflict. Land reform, at the heart of the dispute, is at the top of the agenda. | The talks, the result of seven months of secret negotiations in Havana, follow several failed efforts over the decades to end the conflict. Land reform, at the heart of the dispute, is at the top of the agenda. |
| The government hopes peace will lead to greater foreign investment in mining industries. It has promised to return millions of acres of stolen land to displaced peasants, one of the rebels' main demands. | The government hopes peace will lead to greater foreign investment in mining industries. It has promised to return millions of acres of stolen land to displaced peasants, one of the rebels' main demands. |
| The 9,000-strong Farc is being asked as a condition of peace to help end the cocaine trade that has funded its struggle. Colombians also want it to account for the dozens of kidnap victims who have disappeared in its custody and other noncombatants it is accused of killing. | The 9,000-strong Farc is being asked as a condition of peace to help end the cocaine trade that has funded its struggle. Colombians also want it to account for the dozens of kidnap victims who have disappeared in its custody and other noncombatants it is accused of killing. |