Colombian Government
Refuses To Give In to
FARC On Demilitarization
The Colombian government
said on Wednesday it
will not give in to the
demands of the country's
largest rebel group to
begin a peace process
despite the latter's
unilateral release of
hostages.
Talks for a humanitarian
interchange with the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces (FARC) of
Colombia do not require
a territorial
demilitarization, as
demanded by the guerilla
group, Colombia's
Defense Minister Juan
Manuel Santos said
"Nobody understands why
they insist on the
demilitarization of the
municipalities of
Pradera and Florida to
negotiate," said Santos.
After handing over the
four hostages on
Wednesday in eastern
Colombia, FARC said in a
statement that they will
not carry out any more
unilateral liberations
and demand the
demilitarization of the
two southwestern regions
as a precondition for
beginning peace talks.
"The liberation of the
former legislators is a
humanitarian achievement
attained by the
persistence of
(Venezuelan) President
Hugo Chavez and
(Colombian opposition)
senator Piedad Cordoba
and by the concern for
Colombia's peace,"
stated FARC.
"The demilitarization
must continue for 45
days in the presence of
international guarantors
to agree on the
liberation of the
hostages and war
prisoners (imprisoned
rebels)," stated FARC.
Colombia's high peace
commissioner Luis Carlos
Restrepo reiterated the
Colombian government's
willingness to negotiate
peace with the rebels
but disregarded FARC's
demilitarization demand.
"We can agree on game
rules for a meeting
zone. If they give us a
list of guerrilla troops
they want us to
liberate, we can start
thinking about that. The
international delegates
know that," said
Restrepo.
Former legislators Luis
Perez, Orlando Beltran,
Eduardo Gechen and
Gloria Polanco were
freed by FARC on
Wednesday, while Clara
Rojas and Consuelo
Gonzalez recovered their
liberty on Jan. 10.
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe has also
turned down FARC's
demilitarization demand,
saying that to
demilitarize (the
municipalities
designated by FARC) is
to hand over those
territories to the
enemy, which will make
civilians vulnerable to
FARC attacks.
Uribe also refused to
release imprisoned FARC
troops, saying they will
rejoin the guerilla.
Spain, France and
Switzerland have
mediated the peace
negotiations between the
Colombian government and
FARC.
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