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           Pope Offers Vatican Assistance for Colombia Peace Process

   by Associated Press

   Pope Francis is calling for the peace process in Colombia to go ahead
   and is offering the Holy See's assistance if it might help.

   Francis, who was on his way home Monday from his South America trip,
   said he was concerned about the negotiations and that "it would be an
   ugly thing'' if the talks do not go ahead.

   "We are always disposed to help, we have so many ways to help,'' he
   told reporters.

   Colombia's government and leftist rebels announced Sunday they had
   agreed to accelerate peace negotiations and will attempt to negotiate a
   cease-fire even before reaching an agreement to bring an end to the
   country's five-decade-old conflict.

   The announcement came as faith in the three-year-old negotiations sunk
   to a record low after battlefield violence intensified in recent
   months.

   In comments to reporters aboard the papal plane, Francis was more
   circumspect about wading into Bolivia's longstanding border dispute
   with Chile. Bolivia lost its access to the Pacific Ocean during the War
   of the Pacific with Chile in 1879-83. Bolivia has recently taken its
   bid to renegotiate access to the Pacific to the International Court of
   Justice, which hasn't yet ruled on whether it will take the case.

   During his visit, Francis stressed the need for dialogue among all
   countries in Latin America, especially with reference to the sea
   dispute. He was asked Sunday to go farther, and whether he supported
   Bolivia's bid to change its borders.

   "At this point, I have to be very respectful regarding this because
   Bolivia has made an appeal to an international organ. If I make a
   comment, I'm a head of state, it could be interpreted as me trying to
   meddle in the sovereignty of another state.''

   Overall, he praised the Latin American church as young and fresh -- and
   said that the rest of the world can learn from it.

   "I've wished to give encouragement to this young church and I believe
   that this church can give us much,'' he said. "It can also be an
   undisciplined church but with time it will become disciplined. But it
   will give us so much good.''

   Despite the exhaustion of the trip, Francis was in humorous form during
   the hour-long airborne press conference, quipping that he might break
   into Guarani at any moment. (Francis twice led the faithful in Paraguay
   in the "Our Father'' prayer in the native language). He also said he
   felt like a "great-grandfather'' when young people asked to take
   selfies with him.

   "It's another culture,'' he said, adding "I respect it.''
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   lombia-peace-process/2859681.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-offers-vatican-assistance-for-colombia-peace-process/2859681.html