COLOMBIA'S NEGOTIATOR WITH REBELS STEPS DOWN

BOGOTA, Colombia, April 26 - The government peace commissioner, who
pioneered talks with Colombia's main Marxist rebel group, stepped down
today just as President Andres Pastrana has launched a new set of parallel
negotiations with the second-largest guerrilla group.

The retiring commissioner, Victor G. Ricardo, was Pastrana's point man in
attempts to settle Colombia's long-running civil war, and his unexpected
departure seemed bound to leave at least a temporary gap in the team
Pastrana put together to seek to negotiate an end to three decades of
fighting. There was no official explanation.

Ricardo has been criticized by politicians, businessmen and journalists and
has received death threats from right-wing paramilitaries because of the
strong relationship he has built with the guerrilla leadership. Some
reports said he may be heading for a diplomatic post abroad.

"No one, not even the most critical person, can fail to recognize your
patriotic commitment," Pastrana said in a news conference bidding Ricardo
farewell.

Pastrana said one of his top aides, Camilo Gomez, a member of the
government's negotiating team, will assume Ricardo's post in the coming days.

Ricardo had led government efforts to establish a 12-point peace agenda
with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the larger of two
chief guerrilla forces here, since Pastrana took office in 1998. In
departing, he said he had fulfilled his mission "by reestablishing trust
between the sides."

The process has been under fire, however, since the government ceded a
16,000-square-mile area to the rebels in late 1998 to foster the talks.
Critics say the FARC - which has 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers is using the
zone to launch offensives, stockpile weapons and increase the drug
trafficking that the organization uses to finance its war.

Gomez will face the daunting task of juggling two peace tracks at once. On
Monday, the government said it will pull hundreds of troops out of an
1,800-square-mile area in the central part of the country to facilitate
talks with the 5,000-strong National Liberation Army (ELN), while at the
same - time continuing talks with the FARC.

Right-wing paramilitaries, formed by local landlords and businessmen to
defend against the guerrillas, have been battling the ELN for control over
the region. Their leaders said they will not accept the government's
decision and may resist it militarily. Civilians, fearing guerrilla
reprisals for suspected collaboration with the right-wing groups, also said
they would protest.

In his first news conference, Gomez also had to face tough questions about
the FARC's announcement Tuesday night that it will collect a "peace tax"
from Colombians with assets of $1 million or more. Failure to pay, the
guerrillas warned, will result in the would-be tributary's kidnapping. The
FARC did not specify whether the tax would be levied only in its zone of
control.

"This isn't about accepting or not accepting a tax," Gomez said. "This is
simply not acceptable under any circumstances."

The FARC said the tax is a response to Pastrana's Plan Colombia, a $7.5
billion strategy to fight drugs and shore up the country's economy. The
U.S. Senate is debating whether to provide a $1.6 billion emergency aid
package to help finance the plan and strengthen the Colombian military with
helicopters, training and intelligence.

The government said Ricardo's departure was unrelated to the FARC's
announcement about taxes, and Pastrana said he received the former
commissioner's resignation letter on March 14, more than a month before the
issue arose.

A lawyer by trade, Gomez aided Pastrana while he was mayor of Bogota in the
late 1980s. He also headed the government's office that incorporates
companies. Some analysts said it was a logical time for the change
considering the government is about to begin the parallel peace process
with the ELN. Although Gomez has little experience in political positions,
political scientist Rodrigo Lozada said the transition will be smooth
because all the sides know one another.

"I don't see this as a major problem," Lozada said. Gomez "is up to date
with the process and has the complete confidence of Pastrana; that is
exactly what the FARC would want."