28/08/2012 11:22
Colombian authorities hold talks with Farc
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has confirmed his government is holding exploratory talks with the country's largest rebel group, the Farc.
In an address on state TV, Mr. Santos said he was fulfilling his "duty to seek peace". Media reports say a deal on further talks was reached in Cuba, the BBC reports.
The last time the Farc sat down to peace talks in 1999 the government granted the rebels a 42,000 square kilometer swath of land as a safe haven in which to conduct the negotiations, but after two years the Farc were stronger, larger and bolder than ever in their attacks on the military and civilians. Talks broke down in 2002 after the Farc hijacked a commercial plane and kidnapped a senator.