Cuba To Host New Round Of Talks Between Colombia, ELN Rebels - Joint Communique

MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2023) The new round of peace talks between the Colombian authorities and the rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN) will be held in Cuba, according to a joint communique.

"The Republic of Cuba has agreed to become the hosting country for the next round of peace talks between the national government and the National Liberation Army. Delegations of Colombia's government and ELN are deeply grateful to the Cuban government and its people for the unconditional willingness and fundamental support they have been providing for over four decades to peacebuilding efforts in Colombia," the joint communique, published by the office of Colombian High Commissioner for Peace Danilo Rueda on Twitter.

Since 1964, Colombia has been gripped by a low-intensity armed conflict between the government and rebel groups, including ELN. The Colombian government, the European Union, and the United States designate ELN as a terrorist group.

The negotiation process between the Colombian government and ELN was originally launched in 2016 but soon ended. The current negotiations are based on the progress and agreements reached during the initial phase, with Brazil, Chile, and Mexico as guarantor countries.

Last year, ELN initiated a new peace process with the Colombian government after Gustavo Petro was sworn in as the country's president.

The first three-week round of talks between ELN and the Colombian government took place in Caracas in November-December 2022. Currently, the parties are holding negotiations in Mexico City and have already made "significant progress on the agenda." The timing of the third round of talks in Cuba has yet to be determined.