French Foreign Minister meets Hugo Chavez over FARC (updated II)

Caracas, Venezuela, 30 April 2008. The French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez today at Miraflores Palace in Caracas. On this occasion, Minister Kouchner had the official mission to talk about the release of hostages kept by FARC. Even though the release of French Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt is most important to Paris, Minister Kouchner advocated for all those kept by FARC in Colombia. He also expressed his government wish for a prompt normalization of diplomatic relations among Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. France offered help to ease tensions. In a related event, the Andean Pact Parliament asked Peru to intervene between Colombia and Ecuador to ease tensions.

Diplomatic relations among Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela were damaged after the 1 March regional crisis when Colombian forces entered Ecuadorian territory to kill a No 2 FARC leader Raul Reyes. Caracas has resumed diplomatic relations with Colombia at a low level. Quito has not resumed diplomatic relations with Bogota yet. This disruption of normal diplomatic relations has become a new obstable for the release of hostages. No wonder, President Chavez expressed last Sunday the issue has turned very complex. Chavez also stated his government has lost contacts with FARC after the killing of Raul Reyes.  

Kouchner left the Miraflores palace after refusing to make further comments to the press. However and according to Globovision, a Venezuelan official source stated that France asked Chavez to continue its mediating role in the FARC hostage crisis.

The visit of Minister Kourcher to Caracas is the final leg of a three-nation tour he engaged in the region. He had previously held direct talks with the government of Rafael Correa in Ecuador and Alvaro Uribe in Colombia.  This new French advocacy mission follows previous diplomatic blunders when dealing with hostage crisis.  The killing of FARC No 2 leader Raul Reyes after negotiating with French officials, has severely damaged the prospects of Paris success in dealing with the crisis on its own.    

After meeting with President Chavez, French Minister Kouchner expressed his encounter was rather positive. This is the second visit of Kouchner to Caracas this year. He came in February 2008 to express the gratitude of Sarkozy government for the Venezuelan mediation in favour of the release of hostages.

PS: In reaction to the visit of French Foreign Minister to Caracas, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe rejected any further mediation of Chavez in the FARC hostage crisis. President Uribe added his rejection was based out of respect for the normality of international relations.  Such comments confirm the unwillingness of President Uribe to provide assistance to any peaceful effort to have hostages released. However, his comments might not harm the mediation of President Chavez at all. Previous hostage releases were made after Uribe had cancelled the mediation role of Chavez. Then, FARC liberated the hostages as a response to the mediation efforts made by both Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba.

FARC has asked for the demilitarization of a territory in Colombia deal. Only then, would it proceed with the negotiations to exchange prisoners for hostages. At this moment, President Alvaro Uribe confronts heavy criticism over his links with paramilitaries and the bribery of a MP to secure a further presidential term. Legal actions against President Uribe might take place soon.

Sources: VTV, RNV, Globovision, Unionradio, El Comercio, EL Universal, YVKE, Telesur,    

Related story:  New Mexico Geovernor Bill Richardson meets Chavez over American FARC hostages, FARC and France disagree over Ingrid Betancourt (updated), Chavez asked FARC Marulanda to liberate Ingrid Betancourt (updated II)