FARC Peace Talks: Guerrilla Group Set New Date To Sign Ceasefire Treaty

FARC rebels said Thursday that it's impossible to sign an amicable agreement with the Colombian government by March 23; calling for an extension to sign the peace and ceasefire treaty after President Juan Manuel Santos publicly said he won't sign a "bad deal" to end 50 years of war. "After all this effort, all this time, if we haven't reached a good deal by the 23rd, I'll propose the setting of another deadline," President Santos said. "I will not sign a bad deal to meet a deadline."

The guerrilla group questioned the time frame in recent weeks while proposing to push for another feasible date."We agree with what (the president) said, that conditions aren't in place for the 23rd," FARC peace negotiator Joaquin Gomez said. "We agree that we should set another date by consensus. It seems to us that President Santos acted objectively and we agree with what he said, that yes, a deal can be reached after the 23rd."

The two sides have been negotiating the full demobilization and disarmament of the rebels since November 2012; agreeing last year a deal in Cuba to reach a formal peace process by the end of 2016.