By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

           -- Jan. 1: Zapatista National Liberation Army emerges from jungles in
          Chiapas state, seizing several towns to demanding improved conditions and
          rights for Mexican Indians. Rebels retreat to jungle within days.

          -- Jan. 12: President Carlos Salinas declares cease-fire, ending open
          fighting after at least 145 deaths.

          -- Feb. 21: Peace talks start in San Cristobal de las Casas. Government
          makes peace offer after 10 days of talks. Zapatistas reject it in June.

          -- Aug. 21: Pro-Zapatista candidate loses Chiapas governor's race to the
          government's Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Zapatistas claim
          fraud.

          -- Oct. 8: Zapatistas suspend communication with government.

          -- Dec. 1: President Ernesto Zedillo enters office vowing to end the
          Zapatista revolt. Within weeks, accepts rebel demand for church-led
          mediation commission.

          ------ 1995

          -- Jan. 15: Rebel Subcomandante Marcos and Interior Secretary Esteban
          Moctezuma meet in Chiapas. Two days later, government orders army
          pullback.

          -- Feb. 8: Peace drive sours. Federal police find rebel arms in Mexico City
          and Veracruz and identify Marcos and other Zapatista leaders. Marcos is
          said to be Rafael Sebastian Guillen, a former university professor.
          Government orders his arrest.

          -- Feb. 9: Thousands of soldiers enter rebel territory for first time since
          uprising. Tens of thousands of rebel supporters flee.

          -- March 9: Law grants amnesty to Zapatistas to encourage peace talks.

          -- April 10: Negotiators in Chiapas jungle agree to resume peace talks.

          -- April 22: First round of talks begins in Chiapas town of San Andres
          Larrainzar.

          ------ 1996

          -- Feb. 16: Two sides sign ``San Andres agreement'' to expand Indian
          rights nationwide as a first step in peace pact.

          -- June 28: New Popular Revolutionary Army, or EPR, appears in
          Guerrero state. Group unrelated to Zapatistas.

          -- Aug. 28: At least 19 people die in EPR raids in four states.

          -- Sept. 2: Rebels announce withdrawal from peace talks; claim
          government reneging on San Andres agreement.

          -- Oct. 11: A Zapatista leader openly visits Mexico City for first time:
          Comandante Ramona, seriously ill, comes for medical treatment.

          -- Dec. 6: Bill drafted by congressmen to enact San Andres agreement is
          accepted by rebels. Zedillo later says it must be modified to protect
          national sovereignty. Zapatistas reject government counterproposal.

          ------ 1997

          -- Dec. 22: Pro-government group kills 45 rebel sympathizers in Chiapas
          village of Acteal, the most dramatic of many continuing clashes linked the
          rebellion.

          ------ 2000

          -- July 2: Vicente Fox defeats PRI in presidential election.

          -- Aug. 20: Coalition candidate Pablo Salazar defeats PRI for Chiapas
          governorship, vowing to eliminate anti-rebel paramilitary groups and work
          for peace.

          -- Dec. 1: Fox inaugurated. Promises to put San Andres rights bill to
          Congress and orders army pullback in Zapatista regions.

          -- Dec. 2: Zapatistas conditionally accept resumption of peace talks,
          announce plan to visit Mexico City.