Colombia Rules Out
Venezuelan President's
Returning to Rebel
Mediation
Colombia on Sunday ruled
out a return to
mediation for
neighboring Venezuela's
President Hugo Chavez
and Colombian senator
Piedad Cordoba, the
Colombian government
high commissioner for
peace Luis Carlos
Restrepo told reporters
on Sunday.
"Now is not the time to
re-open the door to
mediation via Chavez:
not while he has
publicly offended the
president of Colombia
and while he is publicly
threatening Colombia
with economic
reprisals," Restrepo
said.
Both Chavez and Cordoba
had worked from August
till late November to
secure an exchange of
prisoners with
Colombia's largest rebel
group -- the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia.
"Venezuela's president
and Senator Cordoba made
many mistakes and we saw
no substantive advances.
Both Chavez and Cordoba
continue to make
announcements that
astonish us. We do not
see a basis," for such
announcements, Restrepo
added.
Speaking alongside
hostages' families in
Venezuelan capital
Caracas on Friday,
Cordoba made a public
call to return to
negotiations.
Chavez and Cordoba began
mediating at the request
of hostages' families
and the French
government for the
release of former
Colombian presidential
candidate, Ingrid
Betancourt, who also has
French citizenship.
Colombia fired Chavez
from the talks on Nov.
21, triggering a
diplomatic crisis,
saying it was angered by
his speaking to a senior
Colombian government
general without its
consent.
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