Colombia peace talks to resume

The agreement came after two days of talks

Colombia's largest rebel group has agreed to resume formal peace talks with the government aimed at ending the country's 37-year-old civil war.

I believe that today we have revived the peace process in this country

President Pastrana

Negotiations are expected to resume on 14 February, with a ceasefire one of the main items on the agenda.

President Andres Pastrana has also signed an edict extending the lifespan of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) safe haven in the south of the country until 9 October.

The agreement comes after two days of talks between Mr Pastrana and rebel leader Manuel Marulanda in the tiny village of Los Pozos in the midst of the FARC safe haven.

At the end of the meeting, the two men held a joint news conference where Mr Pastrana declared: "I believe that today we have revived the peace process in this country."

Statement of intent

But the BBC's Jeremy McDermott says despite initial euphoria that the threat of an escalated war appears to have diminished, many Colombians are wondering what exactly has changed.

Government troops are massed along the safe haven border

The FARC have agreed to discuss a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities for the first time.

The 13-point agreement commits the two sides to discuss the exchange of sick prisoners, and invites a group of unnamed "friendly countries" to assist peace negotiations in a meeting on 8 March.

To ensure that dialogue does not break down again, special sub-committees meeting three days a week will also be set up to keep talks going.

But sticking points over many issues - including right-wing paramilitary violence and US military aid - remain far from being resolved.

Most analysts say the agreement is little more than another statement of intent, and that the peace process is where it was before the latest crisis.

President under pressure

In the short term, the agreement may ease pressure on Mr Pastrana to get a firm commitment to peace from the rebels after criticism that he has granted them too many concessions.

There are 17,000 FARC guerrillas

The FARC safe haven has been widely opposed in Colombia, and rebel demands for a similar demilitarised zone for another guerrilla group, the ELN, have not gone down well with the public.

The rebels broke off negotiations in November, demanding tougher government action against right-wing paramilitaries, who have been blamed for some of Colombia's bloodiest massacres.

The 17,000-strong FARC has been fighting for 37 years in a war which has claimed 35,000 civilian lives in the last decade.