Colombian rebels urged to agree on humanitarian minimums

Colombia's vice president Monday urged the leftist FARC rebel group to agree to a set of "minimum" humanitarian practices to strengthen prospects for peace. The proposal by Vice President Argelino Garzon would require the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to commit not to engage in a range of questionable tactics in return for a government pledge to respect the physical integrity of their fighters. Among the practices the FARC would forswear would be the use of anti-personnel mines, forced recruitment of minors, attacks on "economic and social infrastructure" and civilian targets. "I think the moment has come in Havana, Cuba, to sign a commitment to humanitarian minimums, under which both the FARC guerrillas and the government reciprocally commit to give greater credibility and perspective to the need for peace," Garzon said. The government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC, Colombia's largest and oldest rebel group, have been negotiating for more than a year on an agreement to end their near 50-year-old conflict. So far, they have reached agreement on just two of five agenda points, but Santos has been pressing for more rapid progress. Santos, who is running for re-election next year, has staked his presidency on gaining a peace agreement. The talks resume on Thursday, with negotiators taking up the third agenda point: drug trafficking.