Reuters. 21 January 2002. Colombian Rebels, Government to Talk of Peace.
LOS POZOS -- Working against a midnight deadline, the Colombian government and Marxist FARC rebels on Sunday agreed to immediately launch discussions toward signing a cease-fire by April 7. Minutes after the agreement was made public, Pastrana announced he was extending the FARC safe haven until April 10 to allow peace talks to continue. "I have decided to extend the life of the demilitarized area until April 10," Pastrana said during a televised address to the nation. Flanked by diplomats from 10 countries and representatives of the United Nations and the Vatican, who participated as ''facilitators,'' rebel and government negotiators signed the document in a celebratory atmosphere. Rebel commanders clad in military fatigues hugged and shook hands with government officials and diplomats and toasted to peace. LeMoyne, whose diplomacy helped pulled back the two sides from the brink of war last week, said: "For the first time, Colombia has a real chance to make peace." In an apparent concession to the rebels, the government agreed to study unemployment benefits -- a long-time FARC demand. The document also states that the negotiators will "immediately" study ways to crack down on paramilitary violence -- another FARC demand. The 8,000-member paramilitaries, responsible for some of the worst human rights violations in the war, target rebels and suspected rebel sympathizers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews
