COLOMBIA REBELS SUSPEND TALKS

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- The nation's second-largest guerrilla group has
suspended discussions with the government in apparent protest of
U.S.-backed drug fumigations in northern Colombia.

The National Liberation Army, or ELN, announced the suspension in an e-mail
sent to government peace envoy Camilo Gomez, the presidential palace said
Saturday.

Before the rupture, the government appeared on the brink of ceding a
Delaware-sized swath of territory to the ELN.

Government officials, however, were optimistic that discussions would
resume quickly.