The Colombian government has announced plans to hold peace talks with the country’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Speaking from the presidential palace, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would enter the talks mindful of seeking to avoid previous mistakes.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos: “Exploratory conversations have been held with the FARC to find an end to the conflict. I want to make very clear to Colombians that the approaches that have been carried out and the ones that will happen in the future will be carried out within the framework based on these principles: We are going to learn from the mistakes made in the past so that they are not repeated; second, any process must lead to the end of the conflict, not its prolongation; third, operations and military presence will be maintained across the entire national territory.”

The negotiations are expected to be held in a different country, such as Cuba or Norway. Santos reportedly discussed the prospect of peace talks with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and former President Fidel Castro earlier this year. Following Santos’ announcement, Colombia’s second-biggest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN, also said it would be willing to engage in dialogue.