MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombian church confirms talks with FARC rebel leaders

Cardinal Castrillón said he discussed a peace proposal with FARC leader Alfonso Cano.

Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillon confirmed this week that he has talked with the leader of Colombia’s largest rebel group as part of the church’s hierarchy’s effort to mediate an end to the decades-long civil war.

The former high-ranking Vatican official said he acted under President Alvaro Uribe’s authorization for the Colombian bishops’ conference to initiate contacts with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC.

“Yes, I have had telephone conversations with (FARC chief) Alfonso Cano and with another (rebel) whose name escapes me at the moment,” the cardinal said as he emerged from a meeting with Uribe.

Castrillon said he and Cano discussed a peace proposal the FARC is preparing, but provided no further details.

Uribe said in April that the only entities authorized to talk to the FARC about the release of rebel prisoners were the Catholic Church and the International Red Cross. Since then, however Uribe gave his blessing to the participation of opposition Senator Piedad Cordoba in the promised handover of a soldier held by the FARC for nearly 12 years.

FARC announced months ago its intention to release army Corporal Pablo Emilio Moncayo and another soldier to Cordoba, while also promising to turn over the body of a policeman who died of an illness during captivity.

Moncayo was taken prisoner on Dec. 21, 1997, together with Cpl. Jose Martinez in a guerrilla attack on an army communications centre in the southern province of Nariño.

Ten soldiers died in the attack, four were wounded and another 18 were taken captive by the FARC, who later released 16 of them while adding the two corporals to the high-value captives the rebels hoped to swap for hundreds of jailed insurgents.