COLOMBIAN SOLDIERS MARCH ALONG A COUNTRY ROAD, 1998-10-19 (photo)

Colombian counter-insurgency soldiers march along a country road near the town of San Vicente del Caguan October 18 to return to base before being pulled out of an area the size of Switzerland in southeast Colombia to make way for peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest guerrilla group. President Andres Pastrana, who has pledged to make the search for an end to Colombia's long-running civil conflict his top priority, ordered the start of the demilitarization last week and the process is due to be complete by November 7. The order affects some 2,000 troops and police in five municipalities and the move will effectively cede control of the area to the FARC for three months. Tentative peace talks have also started with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas last week. The government has accused the ELN of blowing up an oilduct October 18 that set a village on fire killing at least 41 people and injuring up to 100. KP/ZDC/KM/ME