Rebels in southern Mexico have rejected a proposal to restart peace talks that Congress is to debate Monday.

Leaders of the Zapatista National Liberation Army "reject the contents of the initiative, but salute the spirit of dialogue that animated it," Major Ana Maria and Comandantes David, Javier and Felipe wrote in the March 2 statement, released late Sunday.The statement took offense at the bill's characterization of the Zapatistas as a "group of dissenters" but did not indicate that the rebels intended to take any military action.

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The Zapatistas rose up on New Year's Day 1994 to demand basic rights and services for the impoverished Indian peasants in Chiapas. Despite a truce, peace talks to end the simmering rebellion have produced no agreements.

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