The Colombian government has officially confirmed that it made contact with rebel commanders for official peace talks.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said in a TV address that representatives from the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) recently held preliminary talks in an attempt to end nearly half a century of armed conflict.

The Colombian president said that the current government is learning lessons from former governments’ failed efforts to end the conflict with the guerilla group. But Santos made it clear that the government will continue military operations to crack down on guerillas while it is in negotiations with them for peace.