Colombian Peace Talks in Germany End Successfully
By Martin Schoech
July 24, 1998
To summarize the talks - In those 3 days of talks between ELN-guerillia and civil officials in the 'Himmelspforten- Kloster' (heaven's gate monastery' in Wuerzburg, (Bavaria, Germany), Colombia has gone a wider step than prevoius 40 years of peace searching. Several actions in order to humanize the conflict have been accepted by both parties. Three ELN leaders and around 40 members of parties, organizations etc from Colombia took place in the talks. They had been commonly invited by German and Colombian bishops conferences. A rumoured meeting between newly elected president Andres Pastrana (who was in France at that time) and an ELN leader didn't happen. The Indian natives of Colombia, who is only 2% of whole population, but is heavily affected by the fighting since living in the guerilla controlled areas wasn't included in the talks. The ELN is the second largest guerilla group in Colombia after the FARC.
(M.Schoech CRW via Salzburger Nachrichten (Austria), July 15+17)
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