Colombian president says end of war with Farc rebels is near

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Source: Reuters

The Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, has said he believes the country is nearing the final phase of nearly 50 years of war and that his government would be willing to sit down and start peace talks with the rebels.

The Andean nation has been wracked by bloodshed from Farc guerrillas and cocaine barons for decades, but a 2002 security crackdown drastically reduced the violence and brought in billions of dollars in foreign investment.

"The last phase of this almost 50-year-old conflict is nearing," Santos said in a speech to the armed forces on Thursday.

"It'll draw near if we persevere, it'll draw near if we continue having the successes that we've been accumulating."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/25/colombia-war-farc-rebels