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 with the help of Venezuela and Norway.
Colombia's government will soon begin talks that could lead to formal negotiations for peace with the country's biggest guerrilla group, known as the FARC, according to a Colombian intelligence source.
Colombia's FARC guerrillas named Timoleon Jimenez, known as Timochenko, as the group's new leader after its previous boss was killed this month, according to a rebel statement published on a website.
Colombia's FARC rebels rejected a plea to demobilize after the killing of their leader Alfonso Cano gave President Juan Manuel Santos his biggest military victory.
Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos said this week that military forces know the exact hiding place and movements of the FARC guerrilla maximum leader, Alfonso Cano, and brushed aside any chance that he might escape.