BOGOTA – Colombian Attorney General Eduardo Montealegre has raised the possibility of “definitely closing” the investigation of criminal cases stemming from the decades-long war between the government and the leftist Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

At a conference Thursday on the conflict, Montealegre said that judging all the crimes committed during the civil war which has lasted more than 50 years would take decades to conclude.

The attorney general proposed a legal mechanism that would essentially end criminal charges against the guerrillas and members of the state security apparatus, as well as the rightist paramilitaries “and all those involved in the conflict.”

For almost two years, the Colombian government and the rebels have been meeting in the Cuban capital of Havana to discuss a political solution to the violence.

But the FARC leaders have said they would not serve prison terms as part of the solution, nor accept extradition to the United States where some are wanted on drug trafficking charges.

In his comments, Montealegre emphasized the importance of investigating, judging and punishing crimes within a post-conflict framework while striking a balance between justice and peace.

He also said there would be a need to determine the legal and political ramifications regarding Colombia’s international obligations while avoiding impunity for crimes against humanity and war crimes against those most responsible.