Peace

Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels announced a unilateral two-month ceasefire on Monday as they opened negotiations with the government in an attempt to restore peace after nearly half a century of war.

Peace talks between Colombia's government and FARC rebels scheduled to start inCuba this week will be delayed until Monday so negotiators can work on "technical" details, both sides said.

Colombian government negotiators and Marxist rebels have delayed their departure for peace talks in Norway aimed at ending nearly half a century of conflict but still plan to arrive in time for their only publicly scheduled event on Wednesday, Norway said.

Colombia's government and Marxist rebels will sit down this week to start peace talks aimed at ending nearly half a century of conflict after a 10-year military offensive against the guerrillas failed to deliver a coup de grace.

A peace accord with Marxist FARC rebels would not likely end all bloodshed in Colombia because breakaway renegade fighters and other drug-funded crime gangs would continue to battle government troops, an influential think-tank said on Tuesday.

Colombia's second-biggest guerrilla group says it is willing to hold unconditional peace talks to end five decades of war, but refuses to end its kidnapping, bomb attacks and extortion of foreign oil and mining companies before negotiations start.