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DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251783
TITLE=COLOMBIA PEACE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MIKE BOWMAN
DATELINE=BOGOTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS SAY PEACE TALKS WITH LEFTIST 
GUERRILLAS WILL GO FORWARD AS PLANNED NEXT WEEK, DESPITE RECENT 
REBEL ATTACKS THAT HAVE LEFT HUNDRED OF COMBATANTS DEAD.  
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS FROM BOGOTA.
TEXT:  COLOMBIAN INTERIOR MINISTER NESTOR MARTINEZ SAYS THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS  NO  INTENTION OF POSTPONING PEACE TALKS WITH THE 
REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA, KNOWN AS "FARC".
       /// FIRST MARTINEZ ACT IN SPANISH, IN AND UNDER ///
MR. MARTINEZ SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING PEACE, DESPITE THE 
CONFLICT. THE INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS TALKS WILL BE CONVENED AS 
PLANNED ON JULY 19TH.
SINCE FRIDAY, GUERRILLAS HAVE MOUNTED ATTACKS IN TWO-DOZEN TOWNS 
AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, KILLING FOUR-DOZEN SECURITY FORCE 
MEMBERS AND KIDNAPPING DOZENS OF OTHERS.  COLOMBIAN MILITARY 
COMMANDERS SAY THEIR TROOPS REPELLED MOST ATTACKS, LEAVING NEARLY
THREE-HUNDRED GUERRILLAS DEAD.
REBEL LOSSES ARE DIFFICULT TO VERIFY, SINCE THE GUERRILLAS TAKE 
PAINS TO REMOVE THEIR DEAD AND WOUNDED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.
RESPONDING TO THE ATTACKS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS MOBILIZED MORE THAN
100-THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND ANNOUNCED NIGHT-TIME
CURFEWS IN 10 PROVINCES.  INTERIOR MINISTER MARTINEZ SAYS THE 
STRATEGY BEHIND THE REBEL ATTACKS IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
       /// SECOND MARTINE ACT IN SPANISH, IN AND UNDER ///
MR. MARTINEZ SAYS THE ATTACKS WERE A MISTAKEN ATTEMPT BY THE 
REBELS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITION AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS.  THE 
INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS THE ARMY AND NATIONAL POLICE HAVE 
DEMONSTRATED THEY ARE CAPABLE OF ASSURING PUBLIC SAFETY.
MEANWHILE, EDITORIALS IN SOME MAJOR COLOMBIAN NEWSPAPERS ARE 
PRAISING THE ARMED FORCES FOR HANDLING THE REBELS AN APPARENT 
MILITARY SETBACK AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN THE FRAGILE PEACE 
PROCESS.  IT IS  NOT  CLEAR WHAT, IF ANY, IMPACT THE EVENTS OF 
THE LAST FEW DAYS WILL HAVE ON THE TALKS, WHICH ARE TO BE HELD IN
A REBEL-DOMINATED TOWN SOUTHEAST OF BOGOTA.
                        /// REST OPT /// 
WHILE PREPARING FOR THE PEACE TALKS, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ANDRES 
PASTRANA IS ALSO UNVEILING NEW SECURITY MEASURES TO IMPROVE 
PUBLIC SAFETY.
          /// PASTRANA ACT IN SPANISH, IN AND UNDER ///
MR. PASTRANA SAYS 59 MUNICIPALITIES HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO
RESTRICT RESIDENTS FROM CARRYING ARMS.  THE COLOMBIAN LEADER 
DESCRIBES THE INITIATIVE AS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT, IF SUCCESSFUL, 
COULD BE APPLIED MORE BROADLY IN THE FUTURE.  IN ADDITION, MR. 
PASTRANA SAYS SPECIALIZED PRISONS WILL BE SET UP FOR THOSE 
CONVICTED OF KIDNAPPING -- A TACTIC USED EXTENSIVELY BY 
GUERRILLAS TO HELP FUND THEIR OPERATIONS.
MR. PASTRANA SPOKE TUESDAY AT A CEREMONY WELCOMING ONE-THOUSAND 
NEWLY-TRAINED NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS.  BEFORE MR. PASTRANA 
SPOKE, A MINUTE OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED FOR SECURITY FORCE 
MEMBERS KILLED IN THE RECENT REBEL ATTACKS.   (SIGNED)
NEB/MB/TVM/PT/WTW
14-Jul-99 9:01 PM EDT (0101 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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