Spain's Rajoy: Colombia, FARC to Ratify Deal on Sept 26

Spain's interim Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy speaks at the Spanish Congress (Las Cortes) in Madrid, Aug. 31, 2016,

Colombia's government will ratify a peace accord with the Marxist rebel group FARC on Sept. 26, Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Wednesday after talking to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

Santos's government reached a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on Aug. 25 to end a five-decade war. The deal still has to go to a plebiscite vote on Oct. 2.

"I had the chance to speak on Monday with [Santos] to congratulate him on the agreement. He has invited us to the agreement's signing on Sept. 26," Rajoy told Spain's parliament in a speech.

Santos said on Wednesday he had not yet decided the date but it would be announced by Thursday.

The agreement, which was reached after almost four years of talks in Cuba, will see the FARC rebels lay down their arms and reintegrate into civilian life.