Colombia, FARC wrap up latest talks

The Columbian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have concluded their latest round of peace talks, with both sides blaming each other for violating terms of their prior agreements.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the parties announced that they “continue advancing in developing and writing up accords… around the second point of the agenda on political participation,” including rights and guarantees for the exercise of political opposition.

Among the controversial issues are a government plan to prosecute FARC leaders and a proposed referendum both approved by the Colombian Constitutional Court in August. If passed by the parliament, any peace deals will be put on a popular vote during next year’s national elections.

The rebels accused Bogota of attempting to impose its own conditions on any future peace pacts, saying in a statement that the government could not decide for both sides of the conflict.

FARC suggested that a constitutional assembly ratify and enact a peace agreement instead of holding national elections

“It is urgent to return to respecting the bilateral nature of the talks to inspire confidence and continue forward,” the FARC statement said.

The government’s lead negotiator, former Vice President Humberto de la Calle, accused the rebels of “excessive rhetoric over the most diverse aspects of the nation’s life, that have nothing to do with the agenda.”

Talks between the FARC rebels and the Colombian government kicked off in the Cuban capital Havana in November 2012. The talks recess and resume every few weeks as clashes between the two sides continue.

FARC is Latin America’s oldest insurgent group and has been fighting the government since 1964.

Bogota estimates that 600,000 people have been killed, and some three million others have been internally displaced by the fighting.

The rebel organization is thought to have around 8,000 fighters operating across a large swathe of the eastern jungles of the Andean nation.