That is what the Minister for Interior Affairs and Justice, Sabas Pretelt announced, according to the Associated Press.

This decision is in response to the refusal by FARC to meet the Government High Commissioner to negotiate the exchange of hostages for imprisoned guerrillas: the government is ready to negotiate but refuses to provide a demilitarised zone.

"It is a sign that the government must continue to fight in order to return hostages to their families and to dismiss the radical demands of FARC", declared Minister Pretelt.

Pretelt has accused FARC of seeking strategic advantages by demanding the demilitarisation of two districts in Caucua totalling 800 square kilometres where there is a strong FARC presence.

"They refuse to give up the idea of using the humanitarian agreement to gain military advantage", stated Pretelt who nevertheless confirmed that the government was willing to meet guerrilla representatives "when they are willing to discuss this issue in any part of the country, in the districts they choose, but without demilitarisation".

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church and relatives of the hostages suggested they would work behind the scenes to advance the situation without announcing such actions in the media.

"These proposals, if they are to succeed must be firstly discussed with FARC "declared Fr.Dario Echeverri, Secretary of the Commission for Reconciliation set up by the Catholic Church who is working towards a humanitarian exchange.

"All this must be done confidentially, in absolute secrecy, so that proposals can be formulated and their feasibility be examined without raising false hopes and disappointment among the relatives", he added.

Juan Carlos Lecompte, husband of former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped more than three years ago, has also agreed on the need to narrow the gap between the two sides, in secret.

"I agree totally with the view of the Church that contacts must be made in a discreet manner. Making announcements in the media and negotiating in public is impossible", said Juan Carlos Lecompte.