By Richard McColl
BOGOTA, Colombia
President Juan Manuel Santos on Monday said a subcommission will travel to Cuba to discuss the possibility of a bilateral cease-fire with FARC rebels.
"We are reaching the moment where we can begin discussions regarding a bilateral cease-fire. On Tuesday, five generals and one admiral all in active service will travel to Havana for the first time in history to open discussions of a cease-fire," Santos said in Madrid while on a state visit to Spain.
In addition to announcing the names of the commanders headed to Cuba, Santos also discussed the possibility that negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, would address the issue of the guerrillas not being extradited from Colombia to the United States.
"Whatever decision we take will be controversial, because it’s impossible to satisfy everyone, and for this reason we need the understanding and support of the international community," said Santos.
He also confirmed that Bernard Aronson, the U.S. special envoy for peace had already met in Cuba with the FARC negotiating team and the meeting was historic in that the U.S. considers the rebel group to be the world’s biggest illegal drug cartel.
"We have to find a solution to the question of extradition. No one is going to hand over their weapons to die in a prison in North America," said Santos. "This is totally unrealistic. It’s my responsibility with my connections with the United States to find a solution to this," he added.
The peace dialogues began in November 2012 and have already addressed the issues of agricultural reform, illicit drugs, political participation and victims of the conflict. The two sides are currently addressing the topic of how to end the conflict. The guerrillas committed to a unilateral cease-fire in December 2014 that is still ongoing and have repeatedly called on the government to follow suit.
A report released Monday by Frente Amplio por La Paz, or Broad Front for Peace -- a conglomeration of left-wing political groups, corroborated the FARC's claims that guerrillas have stuck to their promise of the unilateral and indefinite cease-fire.
Santos travelled to Spain to discuss the actual situation regarding the peace dialogues and to garner financial support for an eventual post-conflict scenario.
Spain’s former President Felipe Gonzalez commented on the dialogues. "The process is now irreversible," he said. "The dialogues may collapse but the cost of this would be manifested in public opinion."
