Colombian rebels nearing deal on land reform

HAVANA: Colombia’s leftist rebels said yesterday that they are close to a deal with the Bogota government on land reform, one of the most contentious items in their protracted peace negotiations.
“Yes, it should be finished tomorrow, and a joint document will be presented, signed by both sides,” the FARC’s Andres Paris told reporters, without revealing details of the agreement.
Paris made his remarks at the entrance of the Havana Convention Center, where months of negotiations so far have focused almost entirely on land reform — the first of five agenda items to be discussed.
Another delegate from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Laura Villa, read a communique declaring the rebel group welcomes “a partial agreement on the first item of the agenda.”
The struggle for land reform, Villa said, is among the “profound changes that the country needs to achieve the genuine democracy and social justice.”
Land distribution was one of the triggers of the decades-old conflict Colombia, where there is gaping inequality that divides wealthy landowners and poor peasants.
If they succeed in finishing up land reform talks this weekend, both delegations will take a break of several days, and then begin talks on political participation.