BOGOTA, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday he will hold peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
"Since the first day of my administration, I have obeyed the constitutional obligation to seek peace. Towards this direction, we have undertaken exploratory conversations with the FARC in order to seek an end to the conflict," Santos said in an address broadcast on state TV, Colombia Reports said.
Santos said Colombians can "fully confide that the government is working with prudence, seriousness and strength, putting the wellbeing and tranquility of all inhabitants of our country first" in an effort to end the nearly 50-year conflict with the rebels. He promised to provide more details "in the coming days" on the first effort at peace negotiations since 2002.
The two sides signed an agreement in Havana, Cuba, to begin the talks in October, the BBC reported. Telesur reported those talks will begin in Oslo, Norway, and then move to Havana.
An estimated 8,000 guerrillas have been fighting the longest insurgency in the history of Latin America, the BBC said.
