Colombia Rejects Other
Countries' Arrangements
To Free Hostages
The Colombian government
Thursday rejected other
country’s arrangements
made in a bid to seek
the release of hostages
held by the rebel group,
the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC).
It is "unacceptable"
that other governments
seek or make contacts
with FARC without
Colombia's
authorization, Foreign
Minister Fernando Araujo
said.
"The international
community is aware of
FARC's terrorist
actions, and the damage
they has done and how
they hide in other
countries", Araujo said.
Araujo said he regretted
the announcement of
Ecuadorian President
Rafael Correa that he
would seek the
liberation of FARC's
hostages.
"Any kind of activity
with FARC must be done
with Colombia's
authorization. It is
unacceptable that any
person comes to make
unauthorized
arrangements because
these are inconvenient
for our security,"
Araujo insisted.
Correa has said he would
seek for the liberation
of former Colombian
presidential candidate
Ingrid Betancourt, who
was kidnapped by FARC in
2002.
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez also said he
would try to
re-establish contacts
with the FARC rebels in
an attempt to free more
hostages.
Betancourt's family
regretted Araujo's
declaration and they
affirmed that Ecuador's
arrangements have
humanitarian aims.
FARC has offered the
exchange of 45 hostages
for the release of 500
jailed guerillas. The
Colombian government
rejected the proposal.
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