DATE=6/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234815
TITLE=COLOMBIA REBELS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: LEFTIST GUERRILLAS IN COLOMBIA SAY NOBEL-PRIZE-WINNING
AUTHOR GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ WILL TAKE PART IN THEIR PRELIMINARY
PEACE TALKS IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE DETAILS FROM
CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK IN OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU.
TEXT: COLOMBIA'S SECOND LARGEST REBEL GROUP, THE NATIONAL
LIBERATION ARMY, PLANS TO MEET JULY 12TH IN GERMANY WITH 35
PROMINENT COLOMBIANS TO DISCUSS TERMS FOR A NATIONAL CONSTITUENT
ASSEMBLY THAT WOULD DRAW UP A PEACE TREATY TO END THREE DECADES
OF VIOLENCE.
REBEL LEADER PABLO BELTRAN SAYS GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ, WHO LIVES
IN MEXICO, WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE TALKS DESPITE POOR HEALTH. THE
70-YEAR-OLD NOVELIST WON THE NOBEL LITERATURE PRIZE IN 1982.
ALTHOUGH HE IS A LONGTIME SUPPORTER OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION, HE
BACKED COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT ANDRES PASTRANA, A CONSERVATIVE,
IN THE RECENT ELECTION.
GROUNDWORK FOR THE PEACE TALKS WAS LAID IN A SECRET MEETING OF
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS FROM COLOMBIA AND GERMANY LAST SUNDAY NEAR
FRANKFURT. COLOMBIAN BISHOPS SAY POPE JOHN PAUL WAS AWARE OF THE
TALKS AND COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A PERSONAL ROLE IN THE PEACE
PROCESS. THE NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY WAS CLOSE TO STARTING
PEACE TALKS AFTER A MEETING IN MADRID IN FEBRUARY, BUT SUSPENDED
THE INITIATIVE AFTER IT WAS LEAKED TO THE MEDIA.
COLOMBIA'S LARGEST GUERRILLA GROUP, THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED
FORCES OR FARC, SAYS IT WILL MEET WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT PASTRANA,
BUT NO DATE HAS BEEN SET. A SENIOR AIDE OF MR. PASTRANA MET
WITH FARC LEADER MANUEL MARULANDA THE WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION.
THE REBEL GROUPS ARE CALLING FOR MAJOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REFORM
IN COLOMBIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/GM/MMK
30-Jun-98 3:35 PM EDT (1935 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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