Colombia's armed Forces rebels reject president's UN speech

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Wednesday rejected President Juan Santos's speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly about the peace process. In a statement issued by FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez, also known as "Timochenko", the rebel group said the government has committed a "discursive and media offense" that hurts both the peace process and the country. It added that FARC will break the confidential agreement set out when negotiations began in Havana (Cuba) ten months ago. "So much rhetoric now hurts us. To let the country and the world know what really happens, I have decided to allow our spokesmen in Havana to prepare a report to the Colombian people. We have a great responsibility (to the people)," it said. Meanwhile, the FARC's negotiator Jesus Santrichl, who is in Havana for the peace talks, also rejected the call made by Santos in his UN speech for drug eradication once the guerrillas are disbanded. "A biased discourse brings no benefit for peace... Seeking to puts responsibility of drug trafficking on the guerrillas' shoulders for the existence of drug trafficking phenomenon in Colombia brings no benefit for peace," Santrich said. Santos said in New York that if the FARC leaders insist they are not drug dealers, they will have no problem to become the government's ally in fighting against drugs.