HAVANA: Colombia’s FARC rebels said Thursday it is unfeasible to sign a peace deal with the government by March 23, calling for an extension on the two sides’ self-imposed deadline.

Speaking a day after President Juan Manuel Santos said he would not sign a “bad deal” just to meet the deadline, FARC peace negotiator Joaquin Gomez said the rebels agreed more time was needed to negotiate an end to the five-decade conflict. “We agree with what (the president) said, that conditions aren’t in place for the 23rd,” Gomez said. “We agree that we should set another date by consensus.”

Santos and FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez announced the deadline with much fanfare six months ago, but as the date approaches the two sides have increasingly raised doubts about the feasibility of signing a final accord by then.