Colombia`s Santos administration and FARC guerrillas have unveiled an “historic agreement” on “political participation”.

Today`s announcement hopes to breathe life back into a year long peace process that faces growing scepticism.

The FARC have promised finally after 50 years of conflict to trade the bullet for the ballot box.

We`re now a third of way through the talks, with two of the six points on the agenda being signed off.

Excellent, you might think.

Disappointingly, however, despite the hype, today`s announcement avoids the very issues that cause most controversy, appearing to kick them into the long grass.

The parties do accept it is a “partial agreement”, and consequently declined to provide us today with real detail on what has been signed up to.

For many, the central consideration under “political participation” is whether the FARC top brass will be allowed to stand for election.

Will the FARC be given seats in congress?

And, if so will they be given to Timochenko, Ivan Marquez and the rest?

Without answers to these questions any accord seems largely cosmetic.

Yes, it`s undoubtedly important that agreement has been reached, but it is difficult to avoid the sensation of unfinished business. A year on we yearn for more progress for the really tough decisions to be made.

Photo, El Espectador