MEXICO, CHIAPAS REBELS AT THE TABLE

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Mexican officials and 16 masked rebels sat down in a remote, 16th century convent for the first substantive peace talks since a January 1994 Indian uprising in Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state. The much-awaited talks may take weeks and involve more than 100 officials, but Latin American bureau chief Laura Lopez reports that neither side truly has a vested interest in quick solutions. "Subcomandante Marcos, the rebel leader, wants legitimacy for his group. And the longer he talks, the more legitimate the Zapatistas seem to the Mexican public. The government's main objective is to keep Chiapas from bubbling up again. They know that outside investors get nervous when the country is destabilized."