COLOMBIA: A team of European diplomats, UN officials and church representatives worked against the clock yesterday to save Colombia's peace talks, as a presidential deadline for progress reached its final hour.
Colombian President Andres Pastrana made it clear at the weekend that left-wing rebels would have to abandon a demilitarised peace zone tomorrow if they did not agree to a timetable for a temporary ceasefire.
"The atmosphere is hopeful," said peace commissioner Mr Camilo Gomez, a week after he declared the talks dead due to rebel demands for changes in the security arrangements surrounding the safe haven.
The rebels backed down on their security demands, prompting a week of negotiations which were due to end at midnight yesterday. Mr Gomez said the government had yet to receive a rebel ceasefire proposal, but most observers expected a late announcement.
Hundreds of civilians living inside the demilitarised zone marched yesterday, urging rebel and government delegates to continue the search for peace.
A proposed six-month ceasefire would allow the two sides to concentrate on a peace agenda. Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) has spent the last three years hammering out a 12-point agenda with specific proposals for land reform and wealth redistribution. However, the prospects for peace were drowned in bullets at the weekend as 35 people were killed, most of them in army-rebel clashes. The casualties included a Catholic priest who was outspoken in support of the peace process, shot dead by gunmen.
The Colombian weekly El Espectador yesterday revealed details of the US government's "Plan B" for the country should peace talks fail. The plan would begin direct US military aid to combat insurgents, despite US congressional concerns over civilian massacres committed by Colombian troops.