[NYTr] US Lawmakers Thank FARC, Chavez for Arranging Release of 3
 
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:39:02 -0600 (CST)


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Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

US Lawmakers Thank FARC and Chavez

Meeks, Delahunt, McGovern Letter Expresses Appreciation

Bogota, Dec 21 (Prensa Latina) Three US Democrat representatives sent
letters to both FARC and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, thanking
FARC for its humanitarian gesture of releasing three people and Chavez
for his mediation for a humanitarian exchange.

El Tiempo daily revealed on Friday that the letters were presented in
Washington to Colombian liberal Senator Piedad Cordoba by
Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York and William Delahunt and
James McGovern of Massachusetts.

According to the daily, in the letter addressed to the Venezuelan
president, the US politicians recognized that he "still has a role to
play in the humanitarian exchange."

They thanked him for the efforts made, and said they would approve any
action that Chavez could take in the future to speed up the return of
those detained by the guerrillas.

In the note to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, they
expressed their concern about the situation in Colombia to guerrilla
leader Manuel Marulanda, and thanked him for the evidence of life
recently published by the insurgency.

The source said they hailed the positive decision to release Clara
Rojas, her son Enmanuel and Consuelo Gonzalez, and any other action
that leads to the release of three US agents, ex presidential candidate
Ingrid Betancourt and others.

The newspaper called the letters surprising, considering the well-known
positions of the US government contrary to the Venezuelan political
process and the Colombian guerrillas.

Piedad Cordoba was expected in Venezuela today, to be present at the
handing over of the kidnapped people by FARC, which according to media
reports, could happen in the coming days in a place in the southernmost
part of that country.

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Colombians to be Released in Venezuela

Caracas, Dec 21 (Prensa Latina) Venezuela is ready to receive three
people who the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced
it would be handing over in recognition of the mediating efforts made
by President Hugo Chavez.

In a release recently shown to Prensa Latina, FARC announced the
release of Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and former legislator Consuelo
Gonzalez de Perdomo.

"Since the first day President Chavez started this mediation process,
we have been ready to continue moving forward," Vice President Jorge
Rodriguez told journalists at an oath-taking ceremony of the Moral
Power (comptroller, ombudsman and Attorney General of the Republic).

His remarks are one of the very few official statements on the issue,
which has triggered a great number of versions about possible dates of
the prisoner handover and rumors about the presence in Venezuela of
some of these people held by the guerrillas.

According to reports quoting unidentified sources, the release might
take place in Venezuelan territory anytime from tonight through
December 24, with Rodriguez and other officials refusing to give any
clue about date or place.

The Venezuelan vice president described as "completely false"
stories about the alleged presence of Colombian former presidential
candidate Ingrid Betancourt in Fort Tiuna in Caracas.

In this regard, he warned that these rumors affect the hostages' safety.
"I urge all media to exercise restraint, calm and discretion to protect
the lives of these people," he stressed.

The reservation of Venezuelan authorities stems from the certainty that
there are many enemies of peace in Colombia, powerful sectors which
"would prefer to maintain this situation of mourning, violence and war."

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