Cable briefs

Press, 27 July 1988, Page 10

Cable briefs

Dialogue urged

A Colombian politician, Alvaro Gomez Hurtado, who was held by Leftist rebels for two months, has appealed to the Government to join a national peace dialogue. “There is a climate of war but there is also a climate of negotiations," a healthylooking Mr Gomez told a packed news conference in the offices of the Con-

servative party newspaper, “El Siglo,” after he was released.—Bogota. Tagging for offenders? Firstrtime offenders in Britain could soon find themselves “tagged" with electronic wristlets or legbands, if new Government proposals to reduce the use of imprisonment are' introduced. Detailed in a

Home Office green paper, tagging is one option being considered for a new “punishment within the community” sentence. “Several firms have already been to the Home Office to demonstrate equipment,” “The Times” said. — London. Human chain About 27,000 people formed a chain around

the Atsugi United States airbase near Tokyo in protest against the practice of night-time landings by warplanes from an aircraft carrier. The 16km human chain included the secretary-general of the main opposition, Japan Socialist Party, Tsuruo Yamaguchi, and activists from Okinawa protesting against the US base there, the organisers said.— Tokyo.