The government of Colombia and the country's largest rebel group announced a revised peace plan, barely five weeks after voters rejected an earlier deal that would have ended more than a half century of civil war.
Representatives of the government and the left wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia _ as the FARC _ reopened negotiations since Colombian voters rejected the first agreement Oct. 2.
"We are convinced that ... this document signals a viable and possible way to end so many decades of conflict," the chief government negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, said in a statement as the new plan was announced..
Details were vague. The two sides made the surprise announcement of the deal late Saturday in Havana, where the negotiations were held.
"Today with humility I recognize that this accord is better," said De la Calle, who alluded to critiques of the initial deal. That agreement was announced by Colombian government and FARC representatives in September to worldwide acclaim.
The new plan, De la Calle said, "resolves many of those criticisms and insatisfactions," but he added: "Its acceptance will not be unanimous."
This time, according to reports, Colombia's Congress, not voters, will be asked to approve the peace deal.
Voters' rejection of the plan last month was a major blow for President Juan Manuel Santos. Santos won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the long-running war.
The conflict kicked at least 220,000 people and displaced almost 6 million, the Nobel committee noted in granting the award to Santos.
Saturday, as news of the new accord spread, U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry praised the revised deal. Washington would continue "to support full implementation" of a final peace agreement, Kerry said.
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(McDonnell reported from Oaxaca, Mexico. Sanchez reported from Mexico City. Special correspondent Chris Kraul in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report.)
