▁the ▁Pacific ▁coast . ▁This ▁demand ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁Colomb ian ▁government ▁based ▁on ▁previous ▁experience ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁peace ▁tal ks . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁government ▁announced ▁the ▁p ardon ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁F AR C – EP ▁prisoners , ▁to ▁encou rage ▁a ▁reci pro cal ▁move . ▁The ▁prisoners ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁were ▁all ▁of ▁low ▁rank ▁and ▁had ▁promised ▁not ▁to ▁re join ▁the ▁armed ▁struggle . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁F AR C – EP ▁had ▁rejected ▁a ▁proposal ▁to ▁hand ▁over ▁ 5 9 ▁of ▁its ▁capt ives ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁gu err illas ▁imprison ed ▁by ▁the ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁commun ique ▁dated ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁but ▁released ▁public ly ▁on ▁ 3 ▁December , ▁the ▁F AR C - EP ▁declared ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁no ▁longer ▁ins isting ▁on ▁the ▁dem il itar isation ▁of ▁San ▁Vic ente ▁del ▁C agu án ▁and ▁Cart ag ena ▁del ▁Chair á ▁as ▁a ▁pre condition ▁for ▁the ▁neg ot iation ▁of ▁the ▁prisoner ▁exchange , ▁but ▁instead ▁that ▁of ▁Florida ▁and ▁Pr ad era ▁in ▁the ▁Valle ▁department . ▁They ▁state ▁that ▁this ▁area ▁would ▁lie ▁outside ▁the ▁" area ▁of ▁influence " ▁of ▁both ▁their ▁Southern ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Block s ▁( the ▁F AR C - EP ' s ▁strong est ) ▁and ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁operations ▁being ▁carried