Colombia makes ELN peace moves

The Colombian government has agreed to officially recognise the political status of the country's second largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army -- or ELN.

The country's Chief Peace negotiator, Camilo Gomez, said the ELN had made firm moves towards peace and that the way was now open for formal negotiations to begin.

But difficulties do still remain.

Negotiations over a proposed demilitarised zone in the north of the country have attracted strong opposition from local residents.

And peace negotiations with the country's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, have yet to make progress. The government removed the ELN's political status over a year ago after its members hijacked a plane and held its passengers hostage.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service