French foreign minister dashes to Bamako in bid to free hostage

AFP - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner paid a flying visit to Mali late Monday aimed at securing the release of a Frenchman held hostage by a local Al-Qaeda group, a Malian official said.

Kouchner, who met with Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure, did not make any statement to journalists during his three-hour visit.

A Malian official speaking on condition of anonymity said the visit would be devoted to "talks for the release of the French hostage" Pierre Camatte, held by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) since November.

Paris did not announce the visit and Kouchner made no comment as he arrived at Bamako airport, where he was welcomed by the Minister for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family, Maiga Sina Damba.

"The French minister will be received by the Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure immediately. Clearly the primary concern at the moment is the fate of the French national. I want to stress: we are concerned for his fate," the Malian official said.

Kouchner left three hours later still without making a statement but a Malian source close to the talks with the president told AFP: "Mr. Kouchner asked Mali to do everything possible to obtain the liberation of Pierre Camatte. Mali stressed the determining role Algeria must play in the matter."

The source added: "It's urgent. The kidnappers are demanding that it goes quickly, if not, the life of the French hostage is in great danger."

AQIM had threatened to kill Camatte if four of its members detained in Mali were not released by January 30, but put back the deadline late on Saturday to an unspecified date.

The 61-year-old Camatte was abducted from his hotel in Menaka, more than 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) from Bamako, and he is one of six Europeans being held by the group.

"Even if the ultimatum has been put back, we still need to act urgently," the Malian official told AFP.

The threats made by AQIM are being taken seriously, especially after the group killed British hostage Edwin Dyer in Mali in June last year, blaming Britain for failing to release a radical Muslim cleric in exchange.

AQIM had given Britain a 20-day ultimatum which it extended by 15 days before killing the hostage.

The group has also kidnapped three Spanish volunteers, two men and a women who were travelling in Mauritania in a humanitarian aid convoy on November 29, and claimed the abduction of two Italians in Mauritania in December.