COLOMBIA - FRANCE
Sarkozy wants Betancourt free by Christmas
Thursday, December 6, 2007
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sent a message to the FARC pleading for the quick release of Franco-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
By AFP
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sent a message to the head of Marxist rebels holding French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, appealing for her release, his office said Thursday.
"I solemnly request the release of Ingrid Betancourt," Sarkozy said in a message to Manuel Marulanda, head of the FARC rebels in Colombia.
"For my part I pledge to remain personally involved in the search for a humanitarian solution, for the liberation of all the others being held. Moreover, I promised to redouble efforts, if that is desired, to contribute to finding a way out of the Colombian conflict," Sarkozy said in the televised message.
"But at this moment, Mr. Marulanda, a woman in danger of dying must be saved," Sarkozy said. "I have a dream: to see Ingrid among her family this Christmas."
France has been very interested in Colombia's hostage crisis since Betancourt was kidnapped while campaigning for the Colombian presidency in 2002.
Earlier this week Colombia said it wanted Sarkozy to become involved in helping resolve the impasse in talks to swap some 45 hostages including Betancourt and three Americans for some 500 FARC prisoners held by Colombian authorities.
Colombia's overture to France came in the wake of a raging row between Caracas and Bogota, after President Alvaro Uribe summarily dismissed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez from his role as go-between during talks between the rebels and the Bogota government.
The French president last week vowed to redouble his efforts to obtain Betancourt's freedom, after recently-seized videos of her, looking thin, and 15 other hostages were shown by Colombian authorities to prove they were alive.
"I solemnly request the release of Ingrid Betancourt," Sarkozy said in a message to Manuel Marulanda, head of the FARC rebels in Colombia.
"For my part I pledge to remain personally involved in the search for a humanitarian solution, for the liberation of all the others being held. Moreover, I promised to redouble efforts, if that is desired, to contribute to finding a way out of the Colombian conflict," Sarkozy said in the televised message.
"But at this moment, Mr. Marulanda, a woman in danger of dying must be saved," Sarkozy said. "I have a dream: to see Ingrid among her family this Christmas."
France has been very interested in Colombia's hostage crisis since Betancourt was kidnapped while campaigning for the Colombian presidency in 2002.
Earlier this week Colombia said it wanted Sarkozy to become involved in helping resolve the impasse in talks to swap some 45 hostages including Betancourt and three Americans for some 500 FARC prisoners held by Colombian authorities.
Colombia's overture to France came in the wake of a raging row between Caracas and Bogota, after President Alvaro Uribe summarily dismissed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez from his role as go-between during talks between the rebels and the Bogota government.
The French president last week vowed to redouble his efforts to obtain Betancourt's freedom, after recently-seized videos of her, looking thin, and 15 other hostages were shown by Colombian authorities to prove they were alive.
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