Colombia peace talks rescued

FARC's murder of a popular singer last week shook the country

The Colombian Government has reached an agreement with the country's main left-wing rebel group in a last-minute solution aimed at rescuing the battered peace process.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, pledged to put an end to the mass kidnappings of civilians and to study the possibility of a ceasefire.

FARC has some 16,500 combatants

Their activities have given Colombia the highest kidnapping rate in the world, averaging more than 10 a day last year.

The agreement came just four days before the government was due to reconsider the status of a rebel enclave in the south of the country, which was ceded to the guerrillas three years ago in an attempt to promote negotiations.

Face-saving measure

Failure to renew the enclave would have meant abandoning the peace talks and launching a military offensive.

The peace process reached a crisis point last week when FARC killed former culture minister and popular folk singer Consuelo Araujo.

She had been captured by the rebels the week before, in one of their infamous kidnappings - known as "pescas milagrosas", or miracle fishing. The rebels abduct people for whom they believe they can demand a high ransom.

But the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota says the deal is little more than a face-saving measure for President Andres Pastrana, who has staked his entire presidency on achieving peace with the rebels.

Analysts say the concessions mean nothing: FARC can continue to kidnap for ransom - their main source of income - and the promise to consider a ceasefire was already on the table

Our correspondent says that the deal does stave off all-out war for at least six months - until the enclave deal is up for renewal again.