Other Colombian rebels urged to start peace talks

The president of the Colombian Senate Roy Barreras Montealegre urged the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) on 3 November to start talking to the state "soon," emulating the larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and help end decades of civil conflict in the country. His comments, made in Pasto in the south-western Nariño department, followed the ELN's own recent proposals about possible talks. Barreras suggested separate talks with the ELN as they were part of a "different story" and had differing interests from the FARC, El Espectador reported. The ELN are Colombia's second guerrilla force in terms of numbers. Barreras was attending an event in Pasto to collect citizen's opinions on negotiations with the FARC. He said addressing the FARC that Colombians wanted an end to kidnappings before their could be peace; "we want a peace without traps. I especially hope before agreements are signed in coming months that there will be no more kidnappings nor children recruited by the guerrillas," he said. On 5 November Colombia asked Pope Benedict XVI to bless the incipient peace process with the FARC. The request was made by the new ambassador to the Holy See, Germán Cardona Gutiérrez, while presenting his credentials to the Supreme Pontiff, El Espectador reported. "Fierce fighting" was reported in contrast on 4 November between Colombian troops and the FARC, in the south-western district of Corinto. Five including an eight-year-old child were injured as gun shots and mortar fire were exchanged in hilly country around the town of Corinto in the Cauca department, the broadcaster Caracol reported. The army said one guerrilla was captured and another surrendered.