Colombia peace deal to be signed September 26

Colombia's peace deal with FARC rebels will be formally signed on September 26, in a new milestone towards ending the half-century conflict, President Juan Manuel Santos has said.
"Peace will be signed on September 26 in Cartagena," announced Santos yesterday, ahead of an October referendum on final ratification of the historic accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
The emotional president called it "perhaps the most important announcement" of his life.
Once the deal is formally signed, the FARC will have 180 days to demobilise, disarm and relaunch itself as a political party. The UN has agreed to monitor the process.

The government and FARC began a landmark ceasefire Monday, the first time both sides have put down their weapons since the Marxist guerrilla group was launched in 1964.
The conflict, which has drawn in various left- and right-wing armed groups and gangs, has left 260,000 dead, 45,000 missing and 6.9 million uprooted from their homes.

On October 2, Colombians will vote on this question: "Do you support the final accord to end the conflict and build a stable and lasting peace?"
A new poll out yesterday said 59.5 per cent of the people surveyed would vote "yes."
To be ratified, the August 24 peace deal needs "yes" votes from 4.4 million voters -- 13 per cent of the electorate.

On the rebel side, the agreement must be ratified at FARC's 10th national conference, originally scheduled for September 13 to 19.
The group announced yesterday that the meeting's dates have to be changed for "logistical reasons."
New dates have not yet been announced.