France Sees Great
Opportunity in Colombia
Convinced that it is
"now or never", the
French government has
diversified its efforts
in favor of a
humanitarian exchange of
prisoners and the
specific release of
Ingrid Betancourt in
Colombia.
According to information
published this week and
steps taken by French
secret agents to contact
the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC),
Paris really brought up
the issue.
Surprised as the rest of
the international public
opinion, French
President Nicolas
Sarkozy took note of the
Colombian government"s
abrupt rupture with
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez.
However, Sarkozy moved
in different directions,
requested help from
Presidents Nestor
Kirchner (Argentina) and
Daniel Ortega
(Nicaragua), and
reportedly from the
Brazilian head of State,
Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva.
In the light of absolute
support relatives and
committees demanding the
release of
French-Colombian citizen
Ingrid Betancourt have
given Chavez, the French
government has pointed
out that all doors
remain open.
Chavez was seeking a
humanitarian exchange of
prisoners between FARC
and the government, with
support from Colombian
Senator Piedad Cordoba
and France, where he
traveled on November 20
to discuss the issue
with Sarkozy.
Especially interested in
the case, Sarkozy
decided diplomatically
to avoid the role of a
mediator that the
Colombian government was
about to request and
sent a letter to FARC
Chief Manuel Marulanda.
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe finally
agreed on a
93-square-mile neutral
zone with the
participation of
international observers
to meet with the
guerrillas.
The future is uncertain,
although at least, for
the first time, a light
can be seen at the end
of the tunnel of an old
conflict in that South
American country. For
the time being, the
coordinates are
invisible for security
reasons.
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