The Colombian government on Tuesday publicly promised security for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels during the possible release of two hostages to the Venezuelan president.
The nation's high commissioner for peace, Luis Carlos Restrepo, told a press conference that the promised freeing of former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez and former vice-presidential candidate Clara Rojas is something the government considers urgent.
"We hope FARC will keep their word, and we will offer all the guarantees needed to make this (hostage release) happen," he said.
Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe demands that Venezuela, which has been mediating the hostage release, "respect and keep constant communication with the Colombian government."
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent helicopters with international observers onboard to the Colombian city of Villavicencio in late December to collect three hostages that the FARC had promised to hand over.
But the operation was cancelled on Dec. 31 after a key hostage, a boy born to Rojas during her captivity, turned out to be in a Bogota orphanage, not in FARC control.
FARC said it did not hand over the hostages because the Colombian army had intensified military operations against it. Meanwhile, the Colombian government accused the rebels of lying about the whereabouts of the child.
Source:Xinhua
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