COSTA RICA: Costa Rican president Oscar Arias said he is willing to serve as mediator in the peace process in Colombia

Record ID: 449601

  • Title: COSTA RICA: Costa Rican president Oscar Arias said he is willing to serve as mediator in the peace process in Colombia
  • Date: 5th August 2006
  • Summary: (W1) SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA (AUGUST 04, 2006) (REUTERS) PRESIDENT ARIAS SITS AT TABLE WITH FARC REPRESENTATIVES VARIOUS OF PRESS CONFERENCE MEDIA MEMBERS SOUNDBITE (Spanish) PARAMILITARY LEADER ANTONIO LOPEZ SAYING: "We want to make public the request we made (to the president) in private so that he helps us along in the peace process in Colombia for all, including the FARC and the ELN."
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Costa Rica
  • Country: Costa Rica
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAE4MFG380S8M2KLLHR4KF5YEJR
  • Story Text: Costa Rican president Oscar Arias said he is willing to serve as mediator in the peace process in Colombia.
    The offer came after members of the paramilitary forces in Colombia requested that president Arias help mediate in the long-running conflict.
    "We want to make public the request we made (to the president) in private so that he helps us along in the peace process in Colombia for all, including the FARC and the ELN," paramilitary leader Antonio Lopez said.
    In past months, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe expressed interest in having his Costa Rican counterpart serve as intermediary in the government's military struggle against the leftist guerrillas.
    President Arias agreed as long as all those involved in the peace process agree on his participation. "My answer, as always is, I can only take part as long as the Colombian government agrees and as long as all parties agree," Arias said.
    It is expected that both leaders discuss the issues while president Arias attends Uribe's swearing in ceremony on Monday (August 07). President Arias was awarded the Nobel Pace Price in 1987 over his peace efforts in Central America.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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