IntelligenceBrief July 3, 2013 | Page 4

might over ASEAN nations . Four members of the group have claims that compete with Chinese assertions .
Latin America The Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels clashed on Monday over how to incorporate Latin America ' s oldest guerrilla movement into the democratic process , as they began the latest round of peace talks in Havana . The FARC reiterated its demand that Colombia ' s 2014 general election be postponed a year in favor of a constituent assembly to chart the country ' s political future . The government has repeatedly rejected the proposal and insisted a peace agreement must be reached by the end of 2013 . Former vice president and lead government negotiator , Humberto de la Calle quickly dismissed the FARC proposal before Monday ' s talks began . In May , after six months of negotiations facilitated by Cuba and Norway , the two sides reached a historic agreement on agricultural reform that calls for developing rural areas and providing land to the people living there . But they remain at loggerheads over the second item on their six-point agenda : turning the FARC from insurgents into political participants . The talks recess every few weeks , then resume , even as the conflict rages on . Rebels blew up an oil pipeline and the government sentenced their leader and FARC ' s chief negotiator to long prison terms on various charges during the most recent break in negotiations . The negotiator remains in Cuba with temporary immunity . Other unresolved issues include the drug trade , compensation for victims and implementation of the final accord .
Colombia ' s FARC rebels called on Tuesday for the government to broaden peace talks to include its smaller counterpart known as the ELN , a day after the two groups announced they would work more closely together . The government has said it was willing to talk with the ELN , or National Liberation Army , but separately from the FARC . " We are talking about involving them in the dialogue and that they become part of the discussions ," said Pablo Catatumbo , one of the FARC negotiators at the talks in Cuba ' s capital , Havana . Catatumbo told reporters the ELN could join the FARC ' s negotiations with the government , which deal with issues including disarmament , land reform and political participation , or the ELN can pursue discussions of its own . The request comes a day after the two rebel groups announced that they held a secret meeting in Colombia last month in which they put past differences behind them and agreed all rebel groups should be involved in peace talks going forward . The FARC and the ELN had fought each other for control of drug trafficking routes , but maintained a cordial distance in recent years . Involving another party now could slow progress in the already drawn-out talks and the request is likely to frustrate President Juan Manuel Santos , who has insisted that the FARC stick to conditions for talks agreed at the outset . Both the ELN and the FARC have battled a dozen
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