[7月24日] Colombia's Defense Minister Renews Call for Talks with Rebels
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Washington
23 July 2008
Colombia's defense minister says the country's leftist rebels aregreatly weakened and should negotiate an end to the decades-old civilwar while they still have a position from which to barter. VOA'sMichael Bowman reports, the minister made the comments in Washington,where he had scheduled talks with U.S. military officials.
Recentmonths have brought a flood of welcome news for Colombia's governmentin its battle against rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces ofColombia, known as FARC.
March saw a successful cross-borderraid on a FARC camp in Ecuador that netted valuable rebel computerfiles. In May, reports surfaced of the death of the group's commanderManuel Marulanda. Most recently, Colombian forces tricked the rebelsinto handing over 15 long-held hostages, including Franco-Colombianpolitician Ingrid Betancourt.
Defense Minister Juan ManuelSantos says the rebels no longer control vast swaths of territory, areexperiencing significant command and communications problems, and havelost whatever legitimacy they may have once enjoyed among certainsectors of Colombian society. But he says FARC continues to refuse tonegotiate with the government of President Alvaro Uribe.
"Theyhave never wanted to negotiate," said Santos. "They are the ones whohave said, 'We do not talk with President Uribe.' If they do not seizethe moment, the opportunity [to negotiate], in a year, two years theywould have no bargaining chips. Because the momentum is on our side."
Santosstressed, the rebels are not yet defeated, and pressure must bemaintained on them until the battle is won decisively, or until theyagree to lay down their arms and rejoin civil society.
