REBELS HALT PEACE TALKS IN COLOMBIA

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Guerrillas yesterday declared a freeze on negotiations
to end the country's 36-year conflict, accusing the government of
tolerating right-wing paramilitary groups and of favoring a U.S.-backed
military offensive over peace talks.

The announcement by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia cast into
further disarray efforts by President Andres Pastrana to reach a negotiated
peace agreement with the country's largest leftist insurgency.

The rebel announcement came on the day the two sides were to open
cease-fire negotiations and as the army was in the midst of an anti-rebel
offensive in southern Colombia's coca-producing Putumayo province.