Final bid for Colombia peace deal

LeMoyne: Said there would be news on the talks soon

The United Nation's special adviser on Colombia is holding last-minute meetings with the country's largest rebel group to try to save peace talks with the government.

If there is no accord, we will hand over the zone with protocol and courtesy

FARC Commander Andres Paris

Without being specific, James LeMoyne said progress was being made with the rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

"I think we will continue to move forward and I think I will have some news for you soon," he said.

The meetings are being held in the rebel-held town of Los Pozos just hours before a deadline set by President Andres Pastrana for the rebels to give up their safe haven runs out (0230 GMT on Sunday).

Mr LeMoyne first met the rebels on Friday - one day after Mr Pastrana announced an extension to the deadline following the collapse of peace talks.

Rebels leaving

The rebels will have 48 hours to leave the five main towns in their demilitarised zone in the south of the country if the meetings with Mr LeMoyne fail.

Mr Pastrana suspended the peace talks

The Associated Press news agency reported seeing rebels withdrawing from camps outside San Vicente del Caguan, the biggest town in the zone, even as the talks were ongoing.

And residents of the zone were said to be preparing to flee as well, fearing reprisals from the army and outlawed paramilitary fighters.

Colombian tanks and troops have already begun moving towards the zone in readiness to drive the FARC fighters back into the jungle.

The area, which has in effect been run by the rebels as their own Marxist state, was ceded to them in 1998 to kick-start the talks.

Click here for a map of the FARC's safe haven

A FARC commander, Andres Paris, said the rebels would peacefully surrender the zone if the peace process falls apart.

'Defining moment'

Upon arriving to try to salvage the peace process, Mr LeMoyne said: "This is a defining moment for the future of Colombia, between the hopes for peace or the road toward war without negotiations."

Many fear the rebels will fight

Mr LeMoyne expressed particular concern for the 100,000 or so people who live in the area under FARC control, an area about the size of Switzerland, should the army move in.

A statement from the rebels said they were still open to a negotiated way out of the crisis - but offered no new concessions.

Many Colombians fear that if the talks fail FARC will go on the offensive.

The French news agency AFP reported a car bomb attack on a military post in the department of Meta just outside the zone. Eight civilians and five soldiers were slightly injured.

And police in the department were quoted as saying the rebels were planning a spate of similar attacks to prevent the military from advancing towards the zone.

Rebel welcome

But a senior FARC commander, Carlos Antonio Lozada, said the rebels welcomed Mr LeMoyne's input.

"The FARC is sure that sanity and common sense will prevail," he said.

The United States has expressed its support for Mr Pastrana's decision to suspend the peace talks, blaming the rebels for their failure.

President Pastrana announced the end of the peace process in a nationally broadcast address to the nation on Wednesday night.

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