Colombia Govt won’t unilaterally terminate peace talks with ELN

The government of Colombia remains committed to continuing peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels, according to its delegation. Vera Grabe and Senator Ivan Cepeda emphasized that the decision to end the talks lies with the rebel group, as the government aims to achieve peace through dialogue.

ELN’s command expressed concerns about the status of the peace talks, calling for clarification from the government regarding their commitment to a future agreement. The group suggested that talks could resume if the government removed ELN from the list of organized armed groups.

With decades of conflict resulting in significant loss of life in Colombia, the government is determined to negotiate an end to ELN’s involvement in the violence. Despite the expiry of a ceasefire agreement, both sides have expressed a willingness to avoid direct military confrontation.

The negotiations faced a setback when the government engaged in separate discussions with a faction of ELN, raising objections from the central leadership. ELN has proposed an extension of the ceasefire to allow for the delisting of the group as an organized armed entity, paving the way for further talks.