Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla announced on Friday a protocol and time-frame to implement the ceasefire and disarmament agreements signed in June.

Under the protocol which will be supervised by the UN, FARC troops will come together at 26 locations around Colombia and will hand over their weapons within six months after a final peace deal is inked by both parties.

"With this plan, we show that we have reached a consensus on issues of great importance, such as the disarmament of FARC members and their transition to become a political movement," said the government's top negotiator Humberto de la Calle at a press conference.

The protocol and time-frame stipulate that 50 FARC members would be free to monitor the disarmament and ceasefire process nationwide, while 10 more would be assigned to each of the 26 locations.

If any dispute arises, the UN is empowered to have the final say and decision.

"The peace process continues its irreversible path toward the end of the conflict and a final agreement," said the rebels' main negotiator Ivan Marquez.

The rebels' top leader Timoleon Jimenez and President Juan Manuel Santos signed the accord in June, which established other technical details to end the hostilities and let FARC members rejoin society, while Cuba and Norway remain guarantor nations.

The negotiating process, which began in November of 2012 in Havana, saw Colombia and the FARC reach agreements on mechanisms for access to land for poor farmers, on transforming the guerrilla movement into a political party, on the fight against drug trafficking, on mine clearance, and on the search for missing persons.

Colombia's conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1964.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by Xinhua News Agency

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