The Colombian government said on Thursday it suspended Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's dialogue facilitation with Colombian rebels over the release of rebel-held hostages since he neglected his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe's request of not meeting the rebel head.
The high peace commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said Chavez had asked for a meeting with the head of the Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) which Uribe refused to grant but Chavez carried it out anyway.
"President Chavez said he wanted to hold a meeting with general Mario Montoya and President Uribe told him he did not consider it convenient, we understood the issue had been clearly settled," Restrepo said.
On Wednesday, President Uribe canceled the mediation efforts by Chavez and Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba with FARC rebels to release hostages, saying the Venezuelan president ignored the key request.
Restrepo said the government "will continue to seek the liberation of the kidnapped people as well as a peaceful negotiation with the guerrilla."
"We continue making all the efforts we can for the liberation of the kidnapped people as of now and the president gave me direct orders to coordinate and control the actions," Restrepo said.
Restrepo said the Colombian government understand Chavez's great commitment, "we are very grateful to him, but public opinion must also clearly know that the guerrilla always uses these scenarios to earn leadership."
Chavez and Cordoba began peace negotiations in August accomplishing the FARC's commitment to hand over evidence before the end of 2007 that the prisoners they hold are alive.
Families of hostages were saddened by Uribe's decision to terminate his Venezuelan counterpart's mediation role, and asked the rebels to accept direct negotiations with Uribe.
Source:Xinhua
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