Pubdate: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press. Author: Anita Snow COLOMBIA SEEKS CASTRO'S SUPPORT HAVANA (AP) Fidel Castro could play a key mediation role in Colombia's peace talks with leftist rebels, Colombia's president said Friday during an official visit in which he sought the Cuban leader's support. Colombian President Andres Pastrana said Castro reiterated his desire to help end the longest running conflict in the Americas. "He wants to actively participate," Pastrana said. "The involvement of Mr. Castro is a guarantee of the peace process," Pastrana told a news conference. "He still has a lot of influence with the insurgent groups in our country." Castro would most likely be one of several regional leaders helping mediate talks, Pastrana said. Acting as a mediator would be a new role for Castro, whose communist government in the 1960s actively supported Marxist-inspired revolutions throughout Latin America. The United States has also expressed interest in mediating Colombian peace talks. That could ultimately force Cuba and the United States two countries without diplomatic relations into an unusual partnership to help bring about peace in a third nation. Pastrana said U.S. officials recently met in Costa Rica with representatives of the Colombian government and Colombia's largest guerrilla group, the 15,000- member Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. "That first step between the FARC and the American government was very important," he said. Pastrana opened negotiations with FARC on Jan. 7. Preliminary peace talks are planned for Feb. 13, between the government, civilian leaders and the 5,000- member National Liberation Army. While Pastrana is focused on his country's peace process, one of Castro's primary interests in Colombia has been blocking attempts by Colombian drug traffickers from using his country as a transshipment point. Several hours after Pastrana arrived here Thursday, the two presidents signed agreements on drug interdiction and the extradition of accused Colombian drug traffickers jailed in Cuba. In a speech earlier this month, Castro lashed out at narcotics trafficking as a threat to the Cuban revolution. In December, Colombia seized more than 7 tons of cocaine in a maritime warehouse that police say was to have been loaded onto a Cuba-bound cargo ship. This weekend, Venezuelan President-elect Hugo Chavez was to arrive in Cuba and join Pastrana and Castro for informal meetings. Their agenda was not disclosed, but Chavez has expressed interest in helping resolve the Colombian conflict. - --- MAP posted-by: Rolf Ernst