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FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER HEADS TO VENEZUELA ON HOSTAGE MISSION

FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER HEADS TO VENEZUELA ON HOSTAGE MISSION

Received Wednesday, 20 February 2008 11:49:00 GMT
PARIS, Feb 20, 2008 (AFP) - The Tocqueville Connection

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner flew to Venezuela Wednesday for talks on hostages held by Marxist rebels in the jungles of Colombia, ahead of the sixth anniversary of the abduction of Ingrid Betancourt.

Betancourt, who is half-French, was taken hostage whilst campaigning for the Colombian presidency in 2002 and France is preparing to mark the anniversary with a series of country-wide demonstrations on Saturday.

Kouchner, who is visiting both Venezuela and Colombia, will stress during his trip "the urgent need for a humanitarian solution leading to the release of the hostages held in Colombia", the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Kouchner flies first to Caracas, where he will hold talks with President Hugo Chavez. The Venezuelan president played a key role in brokering the release of an earlier group of hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

On Thursday he will meet Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Bogota.

The FARC rebels have proposed exchanging Betancourt and 42 other hostages for 500 of their own guerilla fighters, and for the demilitarisation of two zones in the south of Colombia.

Uribe has indicated he is willing to negotiate an exchange of prisoners but has ruled out demilitarisation of such a large and populated part of the country -- suggesting instead a smaller, less inhabited zone.

A former senator, who holds dual French and Colombian nationality, Betancourt was captured by the FARC campaigning for the Colombian presidency on February 23, 2002.

Betancourt's mother has sent her daughter a letter expressing her pessimism that the Colombian government and the FARC genuinely want to negotiate an exchange.
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Uribe has indicated he is willing to negotiate an exchange of prisoners but has ruled out demilitarisation of such a large and populated part of the country - - suggesting instead a smaller, less inhabited zone.

http://www.ttc.org/200802201149.m1kbna209280.htm

By sloopskipper on Feb 20, 2008, 05:25 in Friendly Talkzone.

sloopskipper says on Feb 20, 2008, 05:25:

bump

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britabroad says on Feb 20, 2008, 13:16:

Once he´s been in Caracas a few days he´ll be on a plane back to Paris and France will realise what a sack of shit they´re actually dealing with - if they don´t already.
Hope they do manage to get some out, although I can´t see it unless France agree to sell military hardware to Venezuela or something, in return.
Sloop, thanks for posting all these types of threads. V interesting and saves me buying the local newspaper.

Leave the big stick at home...carry a cannon!

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sloopskipper says on Feb 20, 2008, 13:47:

De nada, brita. But, I guess they're are "doin' what they gotta do".

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Chelesupercono says on Feb 20, 2008, 13:51:

Why has it taken 6 years to get someone from France to negotiate on behalf of one of their citizens? Waiting for Chavez? Good Luck

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

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