The Government of Colombia and the ELN seek to initiate a rapprochement in Havana

Venezuela and Colombia announce ambassadors in each country 0:31

(CNN Spanish) --

Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Durán arrived in Havana, Cuba, on Thursday, where he offered statements about a possible rapprochement with the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Leyva read a statement at a joint press conference with his counterpart Bruno Rodríguez and in the presence of the Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda, and the senator of the Alternative Democratic Pole Iván Cepeda.

In the statement, Colombia's newly appointed foreign minister said: "We aspire to restart peace talks with the ELN."

• Gustavo Petro proposes a bilateral ceasefire to start the peace process with the ELN

Meanwhile, the Cuban foreign minister added that there is a path for dialogue.

"Regarding negotiations with the ELN, we see an opportunity to resume dialogue and move towards peace. We are at the service of what both parties request," Rodríguez reiterated.

Earlier this Thursday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that the delegation's trip to Cuba would have the purpose of investigating whether there really is a will on the part of the National Liberation Army to seek a peace agreement.

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Since Petro won the elections on June 19, the ELN has expressed its "full disposition" to advance in a peace process that gives continuity to the talks started in Quito in February 2017.

During the presidential debates, the then candidate Petro affirmed that the protocols signed by the Colombian State must be respected and, therefore, talks with the armed group must be restarted.

Dialogues with the ELNELN