Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The first peace deal met resistance as many claimed it allowed Farc rebels to get away with murder

The Colombian government and the Farc rebel group have announced a new peace agreement, six weeks after the original deal was rejected in a popular vote.

The two sides, which have been holding talks in Cuba for four years, said the revised plan incorporated proposals from the opposition and others groups.

The initial deal had been deemed to be too favourable to the left-wing rebels.

The new agreement is not expected to be put to another popular vote, but rather submitted to Congress.

"We have reached a new final agreement to end the armed conflict, which incorporates changes, clarifications and some new contributions from various social groups," the two sides said in a statement.

It was read by diplomats from Cuba and Norway, the mediating countries, in the Cuban capital, Havana.

The statement did not give details of the revised agreement but Colombia's lead negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, said it "resolves many criticisms" of the previous deal.

One new requirement was for the Farc to draw up a complete list of its assets, to be used for victim compensation, he added. Further details are expected to be released over the weekend.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Farc representative Ivan Marquez (left) shook hands with government negotiator Humberto de la Calle

However the leader of the "No" campaign, former President Alvaro Uribe, said the new proposals did not go far enough.

The previous deal was rejected by 50.2% of voters in a vote held on 2 October.

Many objected to the lenient sentences given to fighters who confessed to crimes. Some would have avoided serving any time in conventional prisons.

Those who opposed the deal also balked at the government's plan to pay demobilised Farc rebels a monthly stipend while offering those wanting to start a business financial help.

Polls had initially indicated that the agreement would be approved by a comfortable margin, but opposition to the agreement had been stronger than expected.

Despite the rejection of the deal by voters, President Juan Manuel Santos was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in the negotiations.

Colombia's largest rebel group

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) was formed in 1964

Farc, Colombia's largest rebel group, was formed in 1964 with the stated intention of overthrowing the government and installing a Marxist regime.

After modest beginnings, the group rose to prominence through the 1980s and 1990s as its association with the drugs trade improved its financial standing.

At its peak it was the largest and best-equipped guerrilla force in Latin America.

But the number of active Farc fighters has diminished from its estimated high of 20,000 to about 7,000 after thousands of guerrilla fighters were demobilised or killed.

Colombia's second-largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), has also been engaged in an armed conflict for more than five decades.

About 260,000 people have killed and millions displaced in the 52-year conflict.</s>Las FARC y el gobierno de Juan Manuel Santos anunciaron este sábado en La Habana un nuevo acuerdo de paz, tras el plebiscito que impidió implementar un pacto previo para acabar con 52 años de enfrentamiento armado.

"Hemos alcanzado un nuevo Acuerdo Final para la terminación del conflicto armado, que integra cambios, precisiones y aportes de los más diversos sectores de la sociedad y que revisamos uno a uno", según el comunicado conjunto leído por diplomáticos de los países garantes del proceso de paz, Cuba y Noruega.

En el texto, las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) y el gobierno invitaron "a toda Colombia y a la comunidad internacional (...) a acompañar y respaldar este nuevo acuerdo, y su pronta implementación para dejar en el pasado la tragedia de la guerra".

Asimismo, destacaron que "la construcción de una paz estable duradera (...) debe ser el compromiso común de todos los colombianos que contribuya a superar la polarización (en Colombia) y que recoja todas las expresiones políticas y sociales".

El nuevo entendimiento incorpora modificaciones a partir de las propuestas que formularon los sectores que encabezaron el voto en contra en el plebiscito del 2 de octubre, las cuales, según el comunicado conjunto, podrán ser consultadas por los colombianos en el sitio web www.mesadeconversaciones.com.co.

Durante tres semanas de intensas negociaciones, no exentas de momentos de tensión según dijo el miércoles el presidente Juan Manuel Santos, las partes trabajaron para salvar el acuerdo que suscribieron el 26 de septiembre, y que fue rechazado por un estrecho margen en la urnas.

Ese sorpresivo revés impidió implementar lo acordado tras casi cuatro años de negociaciones en Cuba, por lo que la guerrilla y el gobierno acordaron mantener el cese al fuego vigente desde agosto y hacer ajustes y cambios al fallido acuerdo a partir de cientos de propuestas de los sectores que votaron en contra del pacto.

"Estamos convencidos de que este documento señala caminos viables y posibles", para poner fin a un conflicto armado de más de medio siglo que que deja unos 260.000 muertos, casi siete millones de desplazados y unos 45.000 desaparecidos, señaló el jefe negociador del gobierno, Humberto de la Calle.

Destacó que "los ajustes y precisiones que hemos realizado, no sacrifican las convicciones que le dieron forma al primer Acuerdo".

Por su parte, el principal negociador de la guerrilla, Iván Márquez, dijo que en las negociaciones con el gobierno la organización armada hizo su "mejor esfuerzo por responder a los anhelos de paz y poque "al nuevo acuerdo el único camino que le espera es su implementación".

De momento, ni el gobierno ni la guerrilla se refirieron al mecanismo de refrendación del nuevo acuerdo de paz.

Los negociadores buscan que las FARC silencien definitivamente los fusiles después de más de cinco décadas, y se conviertan en partido político.

Poco antes de que el gobierno y la guerrilla anunciaran su nuevo acuerdo La Habana, el expresidente colombiano, Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010), quien lidera los sectores que se opusieron a la implementación del pacto anterior, se reunió con el presidente Santos, a quien pidió conocer los textos consensuados para expresar sus observaciones.

"He pedido al presidente de la República que los textos que anuncian de La Habana no tengan alcance definitivo, que sean puestos en conocimiento de los voceros del No y de las víctimas, quienes los estudiarán en breve tiempo y expondrán cualquier observación o solicitud de modificación", dijo Uribe al término del encuentro.

También "he insistido al presidente de la República en la necesidad de un Acuerdo Nacional sobre la paz, que incluya a las instituciones de justicia", añadió.

Colombia vive un conflicto armado que ha enfrentado durante más de 50 años a guerrillas, paramilitares y agentes de la fuerza pública, dejando unos 260.000 muertos, 45.000 desaparecidos y 6,9 millones de desplazados.</s>Colombia's government and its largest rebel group signed a new, modified peace accord on Saturday following the surprise rejection of an earlier deal by voters in a referendum.

Chief government negotiator Humberto de la Calle and rebel negotiator Luciano Marin, alias Ivan Marquez, signed the deal in Cuba, moving to end to a half-century-long conflict that has claimed more than 220,000 lives.

Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia inked an initial peace deal on Sept. 26 amid international fanfare after more than four years of negotiations. But voters rejected it on Oct. 2 by just 55,000 votes, dealing a stunning setback to Santos who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia's conflict.

Santos immediately began looking for ways to rescue the deal and the sides extended a cease-fire until Dec. 31 to get the modified deal done. The rebels insisted they wouldn't go back to the drawing board and throw out years of arduous negotiations with the government.

"The meetings with the FARC delegation were intense," said De la Calle. "We worked 15 days and nights to reach this new agreement."

It was unclear if or how the modified deal would be submitted to a referendum.

De La Calle said among the modifications made were related to punishments and justice for participants in the conflict accused of war crimes. He said the exact details would be released later.

"We are convinced that this accord offers roads to peace that are viable and possible," he said.

Hours earlier, conservative former President Alvaro, who led the opposition to the original deal, called for the confirmation of the accord to be held up until the victims of the conflict and the deal's opponents could review the text.

Following a meeting with Santos in Colombia, Uribe read a statement to reporters saying he had asked that the "texts to be announced from Havana" not be definitive until they had been reviewed.

Uribe and his supporters had demanded stiffer penalties for rebels who committed war crimes and criticized the promise of a political role for the FARC, a 7,000-strong peasant army that is Latin America's last remaining major insurgency

Opponents of the initial agreement questioned, among other things, that guerrilla leaders involved in crimes against humanity would be spared jail time and allowed to enter political life.</s>Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced the new deal in a TV address Saturday evening, saying it will build a "broader, deeper peace."

A peace deal negotiated earlier this year with FARC rebels was unexpectedly defeated by Colombian voters in October. Many were angered by what they saw as insufficient punishment for those who perpetrated a litany of crimes against their people.

Negotiations for a peace deal continued after the defeat with rebels and those opposed to the original agreement.

Among the new stipulations are reparations for victims which will come from FARC's assets and money, Santos said.

FARC can still form a political party under the agreementm and members with minor offenses can apply to get their records cleared. One of the chief negotiators of the FARC guerrilla movement, Ivan Marquez, tweeted, "The new peace accord is the victory for Colombia." The accord also sets up transitional areas where FARC members stay to be rehabilitated and have "activities of reparation," Santos said. US Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement saying, "I want to congratulate the government and people of Colombia on achieving a revised peace agreement." "President Santos and his negotiating team, those from the 'No' campaign, and other important sectors of Colombian society deserve credit for engaging in a far-reaching and respectful national dialogue following the plebiscite," Kerry said. He said the United States will "support full implementation of the final peace agreement." US National Security Adviser Susan Rice congratulated the government of Colombia for reaching the deal. "We appreciate how difficult and complicated the negotiations have been and recognize that the new provisions, while an important step forward, will not necessarily satisfy everyone," she said in a statement.</s>Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced Saturday evening on Twitter that he has "great news for the country" and would be addressing the nation at 8 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, one of the chief negotiators of the FARC guerrilla movement, Ivan Marquez, tweeted, "The new peace accord is the victory for Colombia."

That tweet was followed by one from the leader of FARC, Timoleón Jiménez -- known by his nom de guerre "Timochenko" -- who wrote, "At this moment, delegation chiefs from the government and FARC are signing final agreement."

US Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement saying, "I want to congratulate the government and people of Colombia on achieving a revised peace agreement."

A peace deal negotiated earlier this year with FARC rebels was unexpectedly defeated by Colombian voters in October. Many were angered by what they saw as insufficient punishment for those who perpetrated a litany of crimes against their people. Negotiations for a peace deal continued after the defeat. "President Santos and his negotiating team, those from the 'No' campaign, and other important sectors of Colombian society deserve credit for engaging in a far-reaching and respectful national dialogue following the plebiscite," Kerry said. He said the United States will "support full implementation of the final peace agreement."</s>Colombia's government and its largest rebel group signed a new, modified peace accord on Saturday following the surprise rejection of an earlier deal by voters in a referendum.

The latest agreement aims to address some of the concerns of opponents of the original accord, especially former President Alvaro Uribe who said the deal was too lenient on a rebel group that had kidnapped and committed war crimes.

"The new deal is an opportunity to clear up doubts, but above all to unite us," said chief government negotiator Humberto de La Calle, who signed the accord along with rebel negotiator Luciano Marin, alias Ivan Marquez, in Cuba, moving to end a half-century-long conflict that has claimed more than 220,000 lives.

De la Calle described the text of the modified accord as "much better" than the previous one, but didn't say if or how it would be submitted to a referendum.

President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia inked an initial peace deal on Sept. 26 amid international fanfare after more than four years of negotiations. But voters rejected it on Oct. 2 by just 55,000 votes, dealing a stunning setback to Santos who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia's conflict.

Santos immediately began looking for ways to rescue the deal and the sides extended a cease-fire until Dec. 31 to get the modified deal done. The rebels insisted they wouldn't go back to the drawing board and throw out years of arduous negotiations with the government.

"The meetings with the FARC delegation were intense," said De la Calle. "We worked 15 days and nights to reach this new agreement."

De La Calle said some of the modifications made were related to transitional justice, punishment for conflict participants accused of war crimes, and reparations for the victims, points of contention with opponents of the original deal. The negotiator added that details of how and where rebels would serve time for any crimes committed had been cleared up. Judgments for drug trafficking will be in accordance with Colombia's penal code and be heard by the country's high courts. He said further details would be released later.

"We are convinced that this accord offers roads to peace that are viable and possible," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated Colombians, including Santos and those from the "no" campaign, for reaching the new peace deal.

"After 52 years of war, no peace agreement can satisfy everyone in every detail. But this agreement constitutes an important step forward on Colombia's path to a just and durable peace. The United States, in coordination with the Government of Colombia, will continue to support full implementation of the final peace agreement," he said in a statement.

Hours before the deal was announced, Uribe, a conservative who was Colombia's president from 2002 to 2010, had asked that it "not be definitive" until opponents and victims of the conflict could review the text.

Following a meeting with Santos in Colombia, Uribe read a statement to reporters saying he had asked that the "texts to be announced from Havana" not be official until they had been reviewed.

Uribe and his supporters had demanded stiffer penalties for rebels who committed war crimes and criticized the promise of a political role for the FARC, a 7,000-strong peasant army that is Latin America's last remaining major insurgency. They didn't like that under the old deal guerrilla leaders involved in crimes against humanity would be spared jail time and allowed to enter political life.

FARC negotiator Ivan Marquez said "the implementation of the accord is all that remains for the construction of the bases for peace in Colombia."

Simultaneously, the government is trying to advance peace talks with the country's second-biggest rebel group. But Santos wants the National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish initials ELN, to first free a former congressman it has held captive for six months before holding negotiations.

The ELN is far smaller than the FARC and was founded in the same year, 1964. Inspired by the Cuban revolution, it is ideologically more doctrinaire and recalcitrant than the FARC, which grew out of peasant self-defense forces. It has fewer than 2,000 fighters, making it less than one-third the size of the FARC.</s>More than a month after Colombian voters rejected a peace deal with the country's largest guerrilla group, negotiators in Havana late Saturday signed a new deal that President Juan Manuel Santos said addresses critics' concerns as it aims to end a half-century conflict that cost more than 220,000 lives.

Negotiators with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government said they had made more than 100 changes to the original document. And Santos said the voices of all the critics had been heard and incorporated into a deal that had emerged stronger as a result.

"This accord belongs to everyone because peace belongs to everyone," he said in an address to the nation.

What remains unclear is how the agreement might be ratified. On Oct. 2, the original deal was narrowly rejected in a plebiscite and Santos has suggested that rather than put this deal up to a vote again, he may have it approved in congress.

The full text of the accord won't be available until next week, but the government's chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, said it was "an improvement" and "more solid" than the previous one.

"We are convinced that this accord offers roads to peace that are viable and possible," he said.

Santos said many of the changes involved tightening up vague language that critics feared might be abused.

For example, under the previous accord guerrillas accused of serious crimes who confessed to a truth commission and provided reparations to their victims would serve five to eight years of "effective restriction of freedom" -- a term that was left undefined.

Now the terms and details of their confinement and monitoring are spelled out, Santos said.

Likewise, while the old deal required the FARC to play a role in eradicating the nation's drug trade, the new agreement will drill down into specific actions it will have to take. And, crucially, it will require the FARC to provide "exhaustive and detailed" reports about its former drug activity, or risk losing benefits, Santos said.

And while the FARC had agreed to provide reparations to its victims, now the group will have to present a full inventory of its assets and goods that can be used in that process.

The FARC's chief negotiator, Iván Márquez, suggested his organization had made deep sacrifices to keep the deal alive.

He said the guerrilla group had gone "beyond the limits of what's reasonable or acceptable for a political-military organization that wasn't defeated by force." He also reiterated that the FARC had come to Havana, where talks have been held, to "negotiate, not surrender."

One issue the guerrillas did not bend on is their ability to participate in politics.

Under the deal, the FARC will be allowed to run for office and will be guaranteed a minimum of five seats in the house and senate for two political cycles.

"The entire reason for any peace process in the world is for guerrillas to lay down their weapons and participate in politics legally," Santos said. "And this process with the FARC is no exception."

It's unclear if the new deal will appease critics.

Santos said he spent three hours Saturday with the old deal's chief critic, former President Alvaro Uribe.

After that meeting, Uribe said he asked the president not to consider the new deal final until he and other opponents had a chance to review the document.

In a series of tweets, another influential critic, former presidential candidate Marta Lucía Ramirez, said she also wanted to weigh in on the deal.

"We hope that the improvements that have been made are not presented to the [nation] or the international community as the definitive text," she wrote on Twitter.

The FARC has been battling the Colombian state for more than half a century, and has been one of the principal players in a broader conflict that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and forced more than six million to flee their homes.

After losing last month's plebiscite, Santos and his team began marathon negotiations with opponents of the deal, collecting more than 500 proposed changes. Each one was studied by the negotiators in Havana, Santos said.

The new deal caps a volatile few months for the Santos administration.

The FARC and the government agreed to a bilateral ceasefire Aug. 29 as a deal seemed imminent. The following month, on Sept. 26, Santos and FARC Commander Timoleón "Timochenko" Jiménez signed off on the accord at a high profile event in Cartagena attended by dozens of regional leaders.

Then, on Oct. 2, voters defied polls and expectations and rejected the deal. Even so, five days later, Santos won the Nobel Peace Prize.

On Saturday, Santos said the peace deal was a chance for the long-troubled nation to shed its violent past.

"I invite all Colombians ... to give peace a chance with this new accord," he said.</s>Colombia’s government and its largest rebel group have signed a new peace accord following the surprise rejection of an earlier deal by voters in a referendum.

The latest agreement aims to address some of the concerns of opponents of the original deal, who said it was too lenient on a leftist rebel group that had kidnapped and committed war crimes.

“The new deal is an opportunity to clear up doubts but, above all, to unite us,” said government negotiator Humberto de la Calle, who signed the accord along with rebel negotiator Ivan Marquez in Havana.

It aims to end a half-century-long conflict that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and driven almost eight million people from their homes.

Mr de la Calle described the text of the modified accord as “much better” than the previous one, but did not say if, or how, it would be submitted again to voters or to congress.

President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) inked an initial peace deal on September 26th amid international fanfare after more than four years of negotiations.

But voters rejected it on October 2nd by just 55,000 votes, dealing a stunning setback to Mr Santos who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia’s conflict.

Mr Santos immediately began looking for ways to rescue the deal and the sides extended a ceasefire until December 31st to get the modified agreement done.

The rebels insisted they would not go back to the drawing board and throw out years of arduous negotiations with the government.

“The meetings with the Farc delegation were intense,” said Mr de la Calle. “We worked 15 days and nights to reach this new agreement.”

He said some modifications made were related to justice, punishment for combatants accused of war crimes and reparations for the conflict’s victims.

He said negotiators had worked out the details of how and where those responsible for crimes would serve their sentences, addressing complaints by opponents that rebels accused of atrocities would not be imprisoned but submitted to “alternative punishments”.

Other modifications include requiring the rebels to present an inventory of acquired money and holdings, and the provision of safeguards for private owners and property during reforms carried out in the countryside.

Cases of conflict participants accused of drug trafficking would be dealt with under Colombia’s penal code and heard by high courts.

In a televised address on Saturday night, Mr Santos said he had instructed the negotiating team to return to Bogota to explain the details of the new accord to the “no” campaign led by conservative former president Álvaro Uribe.

Mr Marquez said “the implementation of the accord is all that remains for the construction of the basis for peace in Colombia”.

US secretary of state John Kerry congratulated Colombians, including Mr Santos and those from the “no” campaign, for reaching the new peace deal.

Colombia’s government is also seeking to hold peace talks with the country’s second-biggest rebel group.

But Mr Santos wants the National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish initials ELN, to first free a former congressman it has held captive for six months before holding negotiations.

The ELN is far smaller than Farc and was founded in the same year, 1964. Inspired by the Cuban revolution, it is ideologically more doctrinaire than the Farc. It has fewer than 2,000 fighters, making it less than one-third the size of the Farc.</s>Colombia’s government and Marxist guerillas said on Saturday they have agreed on a new peace deal to end their 52-year war, six weeks after the original one was narrowly rejected in a referendum for being too lenient on the rebels.

The government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who have been holding talks in Havana for four years, said they had incorporated the proposals of various sectors of society into the new accord.

Read more: Colombians narrowly reject peace accord to end 52-year war with FARC rebels

Read more: Colombia’s undecided: Can all be forgiven after so much pain and loss?

In photos: A look at Colombia's long civil war

“We have reached a new final accord to end the armed conflict that integrates changes, precisions and proposals suggested by the most diverse sectors of society,” both sides said in a statement.

“We call upon all Colombia and the international community....to back this new accord and its quick implementation so as to leave the tragedy of war in the past,” the statement read. “Peace cannot wait anymore.”

However, former President Alvaro Uribe, who led opposition to the original deal said he asked for the opportunity for his camp and the victims of the conflict to briefly study the new accord before its implementation.

“I have asked the president that the texts they announce in Havana not be definitive,” he said in a statement posted on his Twitter account, adding that his camp might want to make some further tweaks.

President Juan Manuel Santos has staked his legacy on a deal with the country’s biggest rebel group to end the five-decade war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

It is still unclear if Santos will put the accord up for a popular vote again. He is set to speak about the new deal later on Saturday.</s>Colombia's government and its largest rebel group signed a new, modified peace accord on Saturday following the surprise rejection of an earlier deal by voters in a referendum.

Chief government negotiator Humberto de la Calle and rebel negotiator Luciano Marin, alias Ivan Marquez, signed the deal in Cuba, moving to end a half-century-long conflict that has claimed more than 220,000 lives.

President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia inked an initial peace deal on Sept. 26 amid international fanfare after more than four years of negotiations. But voters rejected it on Oct. 2 by just 55,000 votes, dealing a stunning setback to Santos who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia's conflict.

Santos immediately began looking for ways to rescue the deal and the sides extended a cease-fire until Dec. 31 to get the modified deal done. The rebels insisted they wouldn't go back to the drawing board and throw out years of arduous negotiations with the government.

"The meetings with the FARC delegation were intense," said De la Calle. "We worked 15 days and nights to reach this new agreement."

"The new deal is an opportunity to clear up doubts, but above all to unite us," said De La Calle, who described the new text as "much better" than that off the September deal.

It was unclear if or how the modified deal would be submitted to a referendum.

De La Calle said some of the modifications made were related to punishment and justice for participants in the conflict accused of war crimes. He said the exact details would be released later.

"We are convinced that this accord offers roads to peace that are viable and possible," he said.

Hours earlier, conservative former President Alvaro Uribe, who led the opposition to the original deal, called for the confirmation of the accord to be held up until the victims of the conflict and the deal's opponents could review the text.

Following a meeting with Santos in Colombia, Uribe read a statement to reporters saying he had asked that the "texts to be announced from Havana" not be definitive until they had been reviewed.

Uribe and his supporters had demanded stiffer penalties for rebels who committed war crimes and criticized the promise of a political role for the FARC, a 7,000-strong peasant army that is Latin America's last remaining major insurgency

Opponents of the initial agreement questioned, among other things, that guerrilla leaders involved in crimes against humanity would be spared jail time and allowed to enter political life.

"I want to congratulate the government and people of Colombia on achieving a revised peace agreement," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a statement. "President Santos and his negotiating team, those from the "No" campaign, and other important sectors of Colombian society deserve credit for engaging in a far reaching and respectful national dialogue following the plebiscite."

Simultanously, the government is trying to advance peace talks with the country's second-biggest rebel group. But Santos wants the National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish initials ELN, to first free a former congressman it has held captive for six months.

The ELN is far smaller than the FARC and was founded in the same year, 1964. Inspired by the Cuban revolution, it is ideologically more doctrinaire and recalcitrant than the FARC, which grew out of peasant self-defense forces. It has fewer than 2,000 fighters, making it less than one-third the size of the FARC.
The Government of Colombia and rebel group FARC announce a new peace deal after an earlier agreement was rejected by a referendum six weeks ago.