Colombian terminates Venezuelan humanitarian mediation (updated II)

Late on Wednesday 21 November 2007, the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez announced publicly that his government terminated the Venezuelan mediation to free 45 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–People's Army (FARC). and ELN. This unexpected decision was a reaction to a phone call made by both Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias to Colombia's armed services commander Mario Montoya; they asked for some details regarding some of the hostages kept by FARC. During the last XVII Ibero American Summit in Chile, the President Uribe has clearly banned such contacts. During a bilateral meeting at the fringes of that <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Summit, Presidents Uribe and Chavez exchanged views on the ongoing humanitarian mediation. Uribe asked Chavez to restrain from contacting army offices directly and showed him a satellite photograph showing a supposed FARC site in Venezuelan territory. Reactions to the Colombian cancellation followed immediately. Family members of the hostages expressed their discomfort and planned to ask President Uribe for a reconsideration of his decision. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was also expected to ask Colombian government to reconsider the mediation cancellation. French government favours the continuation of the Venezuelan mediation. But Colombian Presidency seems very hard to convince and change its mind on the cancellation. It has declared today its willingness to continue efforts to free hostages but without jeopardizing its war against local guerrilla.  According to Telesur, Uribe government place obstacles on the mediation path that were very difficult to surpass. On the other hand, William Brownfield, US Ambassador in Colombia - who was posted to Caracas before- had expressed his doubts over the Venezuelan mediation in the humanitarian deal. So far, the Venezuelan government has remained muted on the cancellation. On the contrary, Colombian Senator, Piedad Cordoba, thanked both Caracas and Bogota  goverments for having trusted her such important mediation role. Then she added that Uribe´s decision should be taken with serenity.

PS: In a press communiqué on Thursday 22 november 2007, the Venezuelan government lamented but accepted the termination of its mediation role. But later and depite the end of the humanitarian initiative, President Chavez asked FARC for a recent life proof of hostages; if received, they would be made t public to their families. It is their right to learn about them, Chavez added.  

Sources: Globovision, Unionradio, Aljazeera, Telesur, RFI, BBC Mundo, RNV, El Tiempo, Caracol, El Nuevo Siglo, BBC, Guardian, El Mundo.es, PrInside,

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