RI Welcomes Colombia-FARC Ceasefire Agreement

Jakarta, (Antara) - The Government of Indonesia welcomed the historic ceasefire deal between the Colombian Government and the leftist FARC rebels that will mark the ending of the longest running conflict in the South American country.

"I hope this agreement will promote a lasting peace in Colombia," Indonesian Ambassador to Colombia Trie Edi Mulyani said in a statement received here on Friday.

The accord, capping three year of peace talks in Cuba, sets the stage for a final deal to end a guerrilla war which had lasted for more than 50 years in the country.

At a ceremony in Havana, Cuba on Thursday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC's commander Rodrigo Londono, better known as Timochenko,  watched as their lead negotiators signed the cease-fire and rebel disarmament deal.

UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon, President of Cuba Raul Castro, and several heads of Latin American countries applauded the signing.

After the ceasefire agreement, rebel fighters will demobilize and hand over their weapon after the signing of a final peace accord as early as next month.

Ambassador Mulyani hoped that the two parties will be working together to meet the core points in the accord not only to bring peace in the country but also to restore the citizens' trusts to the government.

In response to such historic moment, the ambassador said that the Government of Indonesia is ready improve the cooperation between the two countries to promote the peace as well as the sustainable development in Colombia.(*)