Colombia and FARC Rebels Reach Common Ground, Asks U.N. To Monitor Disarmament

The end to the decades-long, deadly conflict between the Colombian government and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group might finally be coming to an end, after negotiators from the two opposing sides were able to reach an agreement on a number of pertinent issues on Tuesday, according to FOX News.

However, the government and the leftist group stated that they would need some help along the way. Speaking in the peace conference Havana, negotiators said that they would be requesting a United Nations observer mission to closely monitor the ceasefire and disarmament process.

Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos, further said that he would personally make the request to the United Nations himself. As for the U.N. observers, the Colombian government stated that they would be asking the United Nations to send representatives from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), reports Reuters.

Humberto de la Calle, the chief negotiator of the government, is very optimistic about the development.

"The step we have taken today is particularly significant. We think this is good news today, transcendental news," he said.

Ivan Marquez, de la Calle's counterpart from the FARC, shares the government negotiator's sentiment, stating that the agreement was a "strong signal" that peace in Colombia is possible as the paces talks entered a "definitive stage."

The 50-year armed conflict between the Colombian government and the armed leftist group has been going on for more than 50 years. During that time, the violent conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced about 6.7 million people, according to TeleSUR.

A number of attempts at establishing an effective peace deal with the rebel group have been initiated in the past though a definitive breakthrough was finally reached on September last year when the two opposing sides agreed on a six-month deadline for a final peace deal.

Since then, however, FARC has expressed its reservations, stating that the March 23 deadline was unrealistic. Apart from the deadline, FARC has also complained that the government's increased paramilitary activities in recent months are threatening the bilateral ceasefire and the progress of peace talks.

The peace talks once more gained momentum on Sunday, when negotiators from both sides met with Cuban President Raul Castro.

With the agreement on Tuesday, steps to real peace in the region might finally be taken. During the course of the negotiations, the Colombian government and the FARC has already reached partial agreements on justice, land reform, combating drug traffic and legalizing the leftist group as a political party.