Catholic Church Seeks Talks With Colombia
Rebels
BOGOTA (Reuters) - A Roman Catholic Church
official on Friday proposed a meeting in
Europe with Colombia's main guerrilla leader
to discuss handover of hostages and possible
negotiations to end Latin America's oldest
insurgency.
Previous attempts to bring the FARC, or
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to
the table have failed over conditions for
the release of the captives it holds in
jungle camps and demands that the rebels end
hostilities before talks begin.
Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillon said the
plan to seek talks with the FARC was
approved by President Alvaro Uribe, whose
U.S.-backed army offensive has battered the
guerrilla group to its weakest level in
decades.
The proposal for dialogue with FARC
commander Alfonso Cano came after Uribe
blamed rebels for kidnapping and killing
Luis Cuellar, the governor of Caqueta state.
He was abducted from his home on Monday and
later found with his throat cut, as soldiers
pursued the kidnappers.
The kidnapping and murder raised questions
about the success of Uribe's campaign
against the rebels. Colombia's government
has received billions in U.S. aid in its
security campaign.
"If there is a dialogue it could be in
Europe. The possibility is there. The
president agrees with that, as long as it is
in the best interests of the country,"
Castrillon said in an interview with local
RCN radio.
He did not give details on where talks could
occur.
The FARC has not issued a statement on the
kidnapping of Cuellar, the highest-profile
attack on a politician during Uribe's
presidency. The Colombia leader, however,
has ordered his military commanders to try
to rescue 24 police and soldiers held by the
rebels, some in captivity for more than a
decade.
Cano took over the leadership of the rebel
group last year after several of its top
commanders were killed and its ranks were
weakened by a steady flow of desertions due
to increasing military pressure.
Uribe, whose father was killed in a botched
rebel kidnapping two decades ago, is popular
for his security drive which has helped cut
back on the kidnapping, bombings and attacks
that once made violence endemic in Colombia.
"The government is ready to told talks with
these illegal armed groups once they show a
real willingness to seek peace," said Cesar
Mauricio Velasquez, a presidential
spokesman.
Uribe says any dialogue with the FARC must
begin with a rebel ceasefire. The FARC has
said it wants to handover the 24 hostages
for hundreds of jailed fighters.
The rebel group previously has unilaterally
released hostages in what it has described
as goodwill gestures. Uribe says, while
welcomed, those releases are part of FARC
attempts to score political points. Rebels
had said they planned to free two more
hostages soon. |
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