Marxist rebels want to talk with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to seek help in facilitating an exchange with the government of kidnapped hostages for jailed guerrillas, a rebel spokesman said.
"We are prepared to meet with representatives of the Catholic church as many times as is necessary, in any place that has (security) guarantees for them as well as us," Raul Reyes, spokesman of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said in a statement broadcast by Noticias Uno television on Monday night.
Officials of the Roman Catholic Church's National Reconciliation Commission did not immediately return phone calls Tuesday for comment.
Catholic priests already are promoting dialogue between the government and a smaller rebel group, the leftist National Liberation Army, known as the ELN. They also are playing key roles in peace talks between the Colombian government and a right-wing militia, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.
While priests have been in contact with Reyes and other FARC leaders, no formal role has been laid out for them.
The FARC kidnaps hundreds of people a year for ransom, and also holds dozens of so-called "exchangeables," including Colombian politicians, police officers, soldiers and three American military contractors taken hostage 18 months ago.
The FARC says these hostages would be released only when the government releases jailed rebels.
Both sides are far from reaching an agreement. No formal talks have begun.
The government insists that the freed rebels be sent to another country, or another method be found that would prevent them from rejoining the FARC and kidnapping more people. The FARC says any freed rebels should be returned to the rebel group, which has waged 40 years of war in this Andean nation.