«Up to now they have shown no interest whatsoever in this commission,» Bishop Ugo Puccini of Santa Marta said Wednesday of the National Liberation Army rebels.
The bishop was a member of the commission, established at the request of the Colombian government. He and other Church figures arrived last week in the port of Santa Marta but failed to establish contacts with the rebel ELN.
Ramiro Vargas, ELN spokesman in Cuba, called for the establishment of an international commission to negotiate the release of the hostages — four Israelis, a Spaniard, a Briton and a German woman — detained since Sept. 12. Other sources of the guerrilla group suggested that the tourists be exchanged for imprisoned rebels.
