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\f0\fs26 \cf0 \cb2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FARC_commanders_during_the_Caguan_peace_talks_(1998-2002).jpg"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 U.S. DEA}}/ Wikimedia Commons) \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Western observers are calling it a potentially landmark development.
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 After a week of rumors, the government of President Juan Manuel Santos has confirmed
it\'92s planning to hold talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://msnlatino.telemundo.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 Video via Telemundo}})
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 The group, better known as FARC, is Colombia\'92s largest rebel guerilla group.
The Marxist-Leninist group been fighting Colombia\'92s government for almost five decades. ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://noticias.univision.com/america-latina/colombia/article/2012-08-27/santos-confirma-acercamiento-con-farc#axzz24nx4tpUb"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 Video via Univision}})
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 President Santos called the exploratory talks part of his quote \'93duty to seek peace\'94
and said he is also open to talks with the ELN, which is Colombia\'92s second-largest
rebel group. \f1\fs24 \
\ \pard\pardeftab720
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/25736-farc-peace-talks-to-be-held-in-norway-in-october-rcn.html"}}{\fldrslt \f0\fs26 \cf4 According to Colombia Reports}}
\f0\fs26 , Santos recently met with Venezuela\'92s Hugo Chavez to help mediate preliminary talks.
The news site describes the Colombian government\'92s goals as having a few basic themes:
\f1\fs24 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 1) FARC demobilization \f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 2) Ceasefire \f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 3) Decommissioning of arms \f1\fs24 \
\
\f0\fs26 And it lists FARC\'92s conditions as
\f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 1) Agricultural reform \f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 2) Discussions about multinational involvement in oil and mining
\f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 3) Various environmental issues \f1\fs24 \
\
\f0\fs26 There have been discussions in the past, but a U.S. think tank analyst {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19393096"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 tells the BBC}}, this time around there
are promising signs. He notes, the government might have come to realize that taking on
the last of the guerillas could be too costly. \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \'93You are beginning to see the country is ready for peace. The country's
more secure now. The fear, the sense that one had to get revenge is no longer there.\'94}