The Colombian government and the left-wing rebel movement, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army (Farc), have both asked the UN for a mission to oversee the end of their decades-long conflict. Negotiators for the two sides at peace talks in Cuba said they would ask the UN to send a 12-month mission to oversee any ceasefire. The two sides have been holding peace talks for three years, BBC responded. Both sides say they hope to reach a final peace deal by March 2016. The mechanism would only start to work once a final deal is agreed. However, both sides have insisted the announcement is more than a mere formality, suggesting it should be read as a signal that a definite deal is close. They said the mission would guarantee that any ceasefire and disarmament would be genuine and permanent, reports say. Humberto de la Calle, the government’s lead negotiator, described the announcement as a “transcendental” moment. He said it was an “unequivocal demonstration of our desire to end confrontation”.
