Colombia's Santos Rejects FARC Rebels' Call for Ceasefire

Source: Reuters

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos rejected a proposal on Thursday by leftist FARC rebels for a bilateral ceasefire during talks next month aimed at bringing an end to half a century of war. The call for both sides to put down their weapons while talks are under way in Norway came earlier from leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia at a news conference in Havana.

The proposal and its rejection could complicate the process from the start as Santos is adamant that Colombian military operations would continue across "every centimeter" of the Andean nation.

Even as it prepares for the meetings, the FARC blew up two trucks at a coal mine on Tuesday, and Danilo Garcia, a top rebel commander and right-hand man to FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, was killed in a bombing attack by government troops.

"I have asked that military operations be intensified, that there will be no ceasefire of any kind," Santos said during an address at a military base in Tolemaida, close to the capital. "We won't cede anything at all until we reach the final agreement," he added. "That should be very clear."



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48936010/ns/world_news-americas/

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Why not accept a ceasefire? It's almost like Santos wants to sabotage his own peace initiative before it gets off the ground.