Arias Asked to Help Negotiate Peace in Colombia; Nobel Prize Carries a Lot of Weight, Colombians Say
Eleven leaders of the Colombian Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) were in Costa Rica yesterday to ask president Oscar Arias to personally assist mediate the peace process in Colombia.

The meeting was held at Casa Presidencial in San José that included Costa Rica's Foreign Minister, Bruno Stagno, and Luis Alejandro Albarracín, a Colombian government representative and Luis Carlos Restrepo, of the United Nations commission for the negotiation of peace in Colombia.

Antonio López, representing the AUC, assured that during the last four years, some 31.500 combatants (rebels) have been demobilized and 17.600 arms were handed over to the government.

"We recognize that Oscar Arias is an icon for peace in the region and for that we want him to accompany us to the Villa de la Esperanza en Copacabana (Medellín)", said López.

The farm Villa Esperanza, in Copacabana, will be the place for the peace talks.

The AUC representative added that the weight of the Nobel Peace prize by Arias will help them in getting their peace proposal accepted.

Arias said that he will seek out the support of Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe.

Uribe was re-elected to the presidency and Arias will be in Colombia to attend the transfer of power ceremony on Monday.

"The have asked me to be involved and try to speed up the process to achieve peace which the Colombian people deserved. To deny would be un-forgiven by the Colombians," said Arias.

Luis Alejandro Albarracín, added that the Colombian government will support the effort and hope that Arias will help them in the process for peace.

President Arias will be in Colombia on Sunday. He is expected to meet Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez, on Monday; Chile's president, Michelle Bachelet and Cuba's vice-president, Carlos Lage on Monday. Following those meetings, Arias will sit down with Colombia's president Uribe before the transfer of powers ceremony on Monday afternoon.