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Source: Peru Rebels Agree to Cuban Asylum

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Mar 25, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/25/97

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<A HREF='http://www.clari.net/'>ClariNet</A> <CLARI-ITEM TYPE>story</CLARI-ITEM> <CLARI-ITEM SLUGWORD>INTERNATIONAL-PERU</CLARI-ITEM> from <CLARI-ITEM FROM>Reuters</CLARI-ITEM> 
<H1><CLARI-ITEM HEADLINE>Source: Peru Rebels Agree to Cuban Asylum</CLARI-ITEM></H1>
<CLARI-ITEM COPYRIGHT>Copyright 1997 by Reuters</CLARI-ITEM> / <CLARI-ITEM DATE>Tue, 25 Mar 1997 6:14:38 PST</CLARI-ITEM>
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<CLARI-ITEM STORY>
 LIMA, Peru (Reuter) - Peruvian rebels holding 72 hostages in
Lima would fly to asylum in Cuba and take some captives with
them under a broader deal to bloodlessly end the crisis entering
its 98th day Tuesday, a Japanese diplomatic source said.
 The source, who requested anonymity, said Monday the Tupac
Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) hostage-takers agreed to
safe haven in Cuba and Peru agreed to allow some captives to go
along on the Cubana de Aviacion asylum flight.
 The government initially rejected that MRTA demand but later
agreed to let rebels take at least eight hostages, including
Foreign Minister Francisco Tudela and Japanese Ambassador
Morihisha Aoki, the source added.
 Peruvian government officials late on Monday night denied a
tentative deal to peacefully end the siege at the Japanese
envoy's home had been struck and a spokesman for Tokyo in Lima
said reports of details of an accord are ``just rumours.''
 ``The framework is laid for them to go to Cuba ... (but) my
understanding is that there is still a substantial gap to be
filled'' before an agreement is reached, he told Reuters.
 Both Cuba and the Dominican Republic have offered to grant
the rebels asylum, if all sides agree, as a way to end the siege
that began Dec. 17.
 The reports of a partial deal came on Monday as a flurry of
separate meetings between mediators, the Cuban-inspired rebels
and President Alberto Fujimori sparked optimism but no tangible
sign of a break in the standoff.
 Mediator Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani told reporters after
a day of crisis meetings: ``Holy Week, when we commemorate the
death of the son of God, who speaks to us of forgiveness and
reconciliation, is a very good occasion to reach a peaceful and
viable solution.''
 Earlier, Fujimori met for two hours with Cipriani at
Government Palace to discuss the siege but issued a statement
saying the end of the crisis was still ``not in sight.''
 The two discussed stalled face-to-face talks between the
government and MRTA and agreed on the need to push ahead with
efforts to find a peaceful solution, ``although the date for the
end of it was not in sight,'' said the statement.
 The government and the MRTA broke off talks March 12 for a
period of ``reflection'' after mutual accusations.
 But both sides on Monday sounded upbeat that discussions may
resume soon.
 Isaac Velazco, the rebels' international spokesman, told
Reuters that progress was being made in restarting talks because
the government realized the only solution was to negotiate and
Fujimori was under growing pressure to find a peaceful outcome.
 ``The greatest achievement in the last 15 to 20 days has
been the government's recognition that the only solution is
through negotiation,'' Velazco said by telephone from Germany.
 ``The government does not have much time as it liked to
claim earlier,'' he said. ``It is now under a lot of pressure
from abroad -- particularly from Japan.''
 A Peruvian newspaper reported on Monday the MRTA may be
offered a multi-million dollar ransom, as well as asylum and
release of some of its jailed comrades in return for freeing the
hostages.
 The proposal was drawn up by the three-member mediating
panel and would be presented to both sides ``in coming days,''
the daily La Republica said.
 MRTA spokesman Velazco said the offer was ``feasible, could
be studied and lead to a solution to the crisis as long as it
considers the freedom of our jailed fighters and leaders.''
 Rebel leader Nestor Cerpa made a formal proposal to the
government detailing which prisoners the group wanted freed,
Velazco said without elaboration.
 Tokyo suggested this sort of behind-the-scenes work was
bringing the crisis closer to a solution, despite the lack of
face-to-face meetings in the last two weeks.
 ``The situation may appear deadlocked at first sight, but I
am convinced that the issue is heading towards a solution,''
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told reporters in
Tokyo on Monday. ``I think the time is ripe for a peaceful
settlement.''
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