Colombia's largest guerrilla group on Saturday reaffirmed its willingness to negotiate a swap of hostages for imprisoned rebels, but did not say whether it was behind a recent car bomb in the capital that prompted the government to break off talks.

"We ratify our willingness to carry out a prisoner exchange and, once completed, the full disposition to advance in a political process that brings about peace," the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said on its Web site.

The conciliatory gesture may be an attempt to persuade President Alvaro Uribe to reverse his decision to halt talks with the guerrilla group, which he blamed for the blast at a military university Oct. 19 that injured 23 people.

In its statement, the FARC neither denied nor took responsibility for the attack. However, echoing the doubts of many Colombians who fear Uribe blamed the FARC without compelling evidence, it harshly derided security forces that it said regularly "plant bombs and then blame the FARC, impeding any political solution to the armed conflict."

The FARC, which has been trying overthrow the government for almost a half-century, also accused Uribe of scuttling the possibility of a prisoner swap.

"Uribe's demagoguery and lack of real commitment to the family members of prisoners was abruptly exposed under the pretext of what happened at the military school," the statement said.

In brief comments Saturday to journalists in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla, Uribe said "the country needs acts of good faith" from the rebel group. He did not say whether he would reconsider talks.

In the weeks before the blast, it seemed a deal was imminent for the government to free some 500 jailed rebels in exchange for 60 political prisoners held by the FARC — including three American defense contractors who were kidnapped in February 2003 and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who has French citizenship and has become a cause celebre in France.

Uribe, better known for his hardline security policies, had agreed to set aside two towns in southern Colombia for eventual talks.

But in a speech at the site of the blast, he once again struck a combative tone, blaming the FARC for the attack and calling its commanders "scoundrels" and "terrorists." Uribe said a military rescue was the only option left to free the prisoners, though he refused to present evidence backing his claim that the FARC was responsible.

Family members of those being held by the FARC called Uribe's speech a death sentence for their loved ones.

But on Saturday, Yolanda Pulecio, the mother of Betancourt, said they were newly heartened by the FARC's overture.

"It gives me great hope," Pulecio told The Associated Press. "We trust the president has had to time to reevaluate his decision."