Colombia To Hold Peace Talks In Ecuador With The ELN, The Country's Second-Largest Rebel Group

Frank Pearl (L), head of Colombian government delegation and Antonio Garcia, head of National Liberation Army (ELN) delegation, shake hands after signing a joint statement to begin formal peace talks at Venezuela's foreign Ministry in Caracas, March 30, 2016. REUTERS/Marco Bello

VOA: Colombia to Hold Peace Talks With Second-Largest Rebel Group

Colombia has agreed to hold formal peace talks with the country's second-largest rebel group, moving closer to ending a five-decade-long civil war.

Negotiations between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, will take place in Ecuador, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday.

The two sides had already been holding exploratory peace talks. But Wednesday's announcement formalized those discussions and brought the leftist ELN into a wider peace process.

For three years, Colombia and another rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, have been holding peace talks in Havana, Cuba.

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More News On Colombia Agreeing To Hold Peace Talks In Ecuador With The ELN

Colombia to hold peace talks with 2nd-largest rebel group -- AP
Colombia, ELN rebels to begin peace talks in Ecuador -- Reuters
Colombia extends peace talks to second big rebel force -- AFP
Colombia ELN: Government and rebels to hold peace talks -- BBC
Colombia starts peace talks with ELN, country's second-biggest guerrilla group -- The Guardian
Colombian gov't, ELN agree to peace talks -- FOX News/EFE
Colombia’s ELN rebels enter peace talks, raise hopes for more changes -- PBS
Colombia, ELN Rebels Agree to Formal Peace Talks -- WSJ
Colombia government, ELN rebels set to announce formal peace talks -- Colombia Reports
ELN and government begin formal talks -- The Bogota Post