Page 11 - Aruba Today
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Tuesday 26 January 2016
AP: International UN OKs mission to monitor cease-fire in Colombia
community appeals
for Haiti dialogue CARA ANNA “It isn’t common for a
Associated Press country to refer itself to the
DAVID McFADDEN UNITED NATIONS (AP) — council. But it’s exactly the
The U.N. Security Council kind of role the United Na-
Associated Press on Monday unanimously tions should be playing” in
approved a resolution to conflict resolution, British
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti establish a political mission Ambassador Matthew Ry-
to monitor and verify a fu- croft said. “I hope today
(AP) — The international ture cease-fire in Colom- will mark the start of the fi-
bia that would end Latin nal stage of peace talks.”
community appealed for America’s longest-running The resolution notes that
guerrilla conflict. the Colombian govern-
dialogue and calm in Haiti The resolution welcomes ment and the FARC fore-
the progress in negotia- see a final peace agree-
after its presidential and tions between Colombia’s ment including “a tripartite
government and the Revo- mechanism” — compris-
legislative runoff was put lutionary Armed Forces of ing the government, FARC
Colombia and notes their and an “international com-
on hold indefinitely. joint request last week for ponent” — to monitor a
a U.N. monitoring mission. cessation of hostilities and
The United Nations, inter- In a rare move for the of- the laying down of arms.
ten-divided council, all 15 It recognizes that the two
national election observers members co-sponsored sides have asked the U.N.
the resolution. to participate as the “inter-
and foreign governments The request sent a strong national component.”
signal that a March 23 The resolution asks U.N.
urged the volatile Caribbe- deadline to wrap up Secretary-General Ban Ki-
peace talks could be with- moon to present detailed
an country’s feuding po- in reach. recommendations on the
“Finally, our continent will political mission’s size and
litical actors to negotiate have life without conflict,” Ivan Marquez, chief negotiator of the Revolutionary Armed operation to the council
the country’s foreign minis- Forces of Colombia, right, and Colombia’s Government Peace for its approval within 30
a solution to an electoral ter, María Ángela Holguín Commissioner Sergio Jaramillo shake hands after a joint an- days of a cease-fire. q
nouncement in Havana, Cuba. At the request of the negotiators,
impasse that threatens to the U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a
political mission to monitor and verify a future cease-fire in Co-
soon become a constitu- lombia.
tional crisis. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)
Haiti’s charter requires a
new government to take
power Feb. 7, but election
authorities say there is now Cuéllar, told reporters. She from Latin American and
said her country hopes to Caribbean nations.
no chance the country will meet the March deadline. Decades of fighting be-
The resolution establishes tween guerrillas, right-wing
meet that deadline to pick a political mission for 12 paramilitaries and the
months, and the council armed forces has left more
the next president. It is un- can consider an extension than 220,000 dead, some
if asked by the two parties. 40,000 disappeared and
clear whether an interim The mission will be made over 5 million driven from
up of unarmed observers their homes.
government will be set up,
or another solution may be
reached.
In a statement, U.N. Secre-
tary-General Ban Ki-moon
urged Haitians to work to-
ward “peaceful comple- Puerto Rico gov. warns of fallout from failed utility
tion of the electoral pro-
cess without delay.” SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) er Authority won’t have day deadline to approve new conditions unaccept-
— Gov. Alejandro Gar- enough cash to continue a bill setting conditions for
Government officials have cia Padilla has warned of normal operations, increas- a bond swap that would able.
grave consequences for ing the risk of power out- have forgiven $600 million
not addressed the impasse island consumers and busi- ages and rate hikes. The of PREPA debt and relaxed “I call on the legislative
nesses if a deal to restruc- deal’s collapse also imperils terms on another $700 mil-
publicly since Friday after- ture its troubled electric util- hundreds of jobs and com- lion. Bondholders offered leadership to act with the
ity’s $8.2 billion bond debt is plicates talks with Puerto to extend the legislative
noon, when the Provisional not completed. Rico’s other creditors. deadline, but wanted to diligence and speed that
The governor said in a “Time is short,” the gover- change terms of a $115 mil-
Electoral Council post- statement this weekend nor said. lion loan that would have the circumstances de-
that without the deal, the The accord with creditors provided liquidity to PREPA,
poned the runoff a sec- Puerto Rico Electric Pow- fell apart after a missed Fri- but the authority found the mand,” Garcia said.
ond time without naming a Despite the accord’s col-
new date for the vote. lapse, PREPA officials and
The splintering coun- bondholder represen-
cil cited what it called a tatives have said they
“deteriorating security en- are willing to continue
vironment” to explain its negotiating.q
decision.q
