Bogotá, October 28 (RHC)-- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said that he wants to enter into a truce with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on January 1st, 2016.

Despite having been engaged in peace talks with the left-wing rebels for almost three years, the government had always refused to declare a ceasefire.

The FARC, who have been observing unilateral ceasefires, have repeatedly called on the government to join them in a truce.

Speaking at a public event promoting science, President Santos called on the FARC and government negotiators to, in his own words, “make the effort so between now and December 31st, we can wrap up the fifth point on the peace agenda, which is how to end the conflict, so that we can declare an internationally monitored bilateral ceasefire from January 1st".