COLOMBIA: Colombian rebels and government officials yesterday reached agreement on a three-month agenda for talks which will conclude with an April ceasefire, raising hopes of a long-term solution to the nation's chronic armed conflict, writes Michael McCaughan.
Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) must give up kidnapping and extortion, a primary source of finance, while the government will be under pressure to rein in right-wing paramilitaries consistently linked to government troops. "The negotiating table will immediately begin the study of a cessation of hostilities," said government peace commissioner, Mr Camilo Gomez, who declared the talks dead a week ago.
After several days of intense negotiations President Andrés Pastrana renewed the demilitarised zone for a further three months.
A team composed of diplomats from Canada, Cuba, France and other nations, agreed to set up an international verification commission, to oversee the implementation of the future ceasefire.