European Union officials met Friday in Paris with members of Colombia's largest rebel force and urged them to release hostages they hold and to resume peace talks with the government, a French foreign ministry spokesman said.
"During the meeting, leaders of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) outlined their view on the peace process in their country," spokesman Bernard Valero said.
"The EU representatives for their part urged them to relaunch the peace talks in order to negotiate an end to the civil strife," he said.
Valero said the EU delegation also called on the rebels to release all of the hostages they are holding.
France chaired the meeting as it currently heads the rotating presidency of the European Union. Taking part in the meeting were representatives from 10 European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Britain and Spain and several FARC officials.
According to a Colombian government report published earlier this week, more than a million Colombians have fled the country in the past five years amid a prolonged civil war and growing economic woes.
The FARC suspended its dialogue for peace with the government on November 14, saying that it would return to the negotiating table once the government clamped down on right-wing paramilitaries -- PARIS (AFP)
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