The Colombian government agreed Tuesday to meet with the armed rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on a humanitarian exchange of imprisoned rebels for hostages.

"The government accepts the hamlet of Aures, Caicedonia municipality, as the venue for the meeting with FARC to address the humanitarian agreement," Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said.

However, he did not disclose whether the government would withdraw troops from two regions as demanded by the FARC.

Earlier, the commissioner held a meeting with relatives of the hostages in the hands of the armed group in Cali, the country's third most important city.

The principal guerrilla force in the country proposed the release of 59 hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, in exchange for 500 imprisoned rebels.

The FARC demanded the demilitarization of two municipalities, Florida and Pradera in Valle del Cauca department, in order to proceed with the negotiations with the government for the exchange.

In response, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said the government would discuss the exchange with the FARC, but it is against demilitarizing the two municipalities.
 
The FARC is the main rebel group in Colombia with at least 17,000 combatants.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2005)