Colombian rebels release hostage

(Vatican Radio) The Colombian Government has announced they will be starting peace talks with the second largest guerrilla group in the country. James Blears reports on a considerable breakthrough.

Listen to regional correspondent James Blears' report...

The leftist National Liberation Army, better known as the ELN, has released a Canadian mining executive, they'd been holding hostage since January. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos had insisted on them releasing all hostages, as a pre-condition for peace talks. The ELN described this as a humanitarian gesture.

President Santos praised this action and said the aim is to get down to negotiations as soon a practically possible, to finally end the conflict. The ELN was founded in 1964- the same year as the larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-the FARC.

The Colombian Government is holding talks with the FARC in Havana, Cuba. No location for peace talks with the ELN has yet been announced.