[NYTr] Venez, the US, and a Possible Colombian Hostage-Prisoner Swap Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:10:35 -0500 (CDT) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit IPS - Sep 27, 2007 http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39420 Bush, Rebel Chief Have Key Role to Play in Hostage Swap by Humberto Marquez CARACAS, Sep 26 (IPS) - U.S. President George W. Bush and the leader of Colombiabs FARC guerrillas, "Manuel Marulanda", both have a key role to play in the search for a humanitarian hostage-for-prisoner swap in Colombia, according to Venezuelan President Hugo ChC!vez, who is attempting to broker an agreement for an exchange. For the second time in a month, ChC!vez met late Tuesday in the seat of government with families of hostages being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), to stress the sense of urgency surrounding the issue and the importance that he places on it. The meeting took place in a warm, casual ambience. "The government of the United States could help, a lot. I hope we have the support of its institutions, and that President Bush can help us," said ChC!vez, leaving aside his antagonism towards the U.S. leader, who he even once called "the devil" during a speech to the U.N. General Assembly. ChC!vez sat surrounded by the family members, including several children, of the three U.S. military contractors seized by the FARC in 2003: Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell. Also taking part in the meeting were Colombian Senator Piedad CC3rdoba, appointed by Colombian President Clvaro Uribe to facilitate an agreement for an exchange of imprisoned FARC guerrillas for hostages held by the rebel group; Catholic Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro (the head of Colombiabs bishopsb conference); and DarC-o Echeverri, secretary of the National Conciliation Commission, set up to help bring about peace talks in Colombia, which has been in the grip of a civil war for nearly half a century. The so-called humanitarian agreement would involve the exchange of 45 or 46 hostages in the hands of FARC, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who holds dual French-Colombian citizenship, and the three U.S. military contractors, for some 500 imprisoned insurgents and two rebel leaders, "SimC3n Trinidad" and "Sonia", who were extradited to the United States and are in prison there. The most likely scenario would be an exchange of hostages and prisoners in different groups, Colombian analyst Alfredo Rangel told IPS. The three U.S. citizens, for example, might be exchanged for "Trinidad" and "Sonia". The second trial against Trinidad in the United States is winding up, and U.S. authorities would have to try to find a formula for deporting the two to Colombia. Some observers add the name of Erminso Cuevas, supposedly the brother of a FARC leader. Cuevas was extradited by Uribe to the United States while CC3rdoba was on a visit there last week. He has been presented as a member of the insurgent group, although the FARC has not acknowledged him as a combatant. CC3rdoba described his extradition as "an atomic bomb" against the negotiations for a prisoner-hostage swap. Monsignor Castro explained that so far efforts at reaching an agreement have come up against "rigid conditions" set by the insurgents and the Uribe administration. The rebels are demanding that part of the Colombian territory be "demilitarised" to create a safe haven for the exchange, a condition that is staunchly rejected by the government, which for its part insists that any guerrillas released from prison must not take up arms again. ChC!vez, meanwhile, insisted on the need to personally speak with FARC chief Pedro Antonio MarC-n, alias Manuel Marulanda or "Tirofijo" (Sureshot), "who I have been looking for all over the map." The Venezuelan leader, a former paratroop commander, added that he has "a parachute ready, to drop in and visit him in the middle of the jungle." However, a possible meeting between ChC!vez and Marulanda in Colombia was flatly ruled out by Uribe, and the rebel leader will not leave his country. But representatives of the FARC leadership are expected to arrive in Caracas to meet with the Venezuelan president on Oct. 8. Uribe got together Tuesday in New York, where the U.N. General Assembly is meeting, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. While Sarkozy reiterated that he backs any efforts that may lead to the release of the hostages, especially Betancourt, Uribe set forth a new proposal: for U.S. lawmakers, Republicans as well as Democrats, to attend the ChC!vez-FARC meeting on Oct. 8. "We must not forget that in this game, all of the different actors have cards up their sleeves and are watching out for their own interests while taking steps in the search for a humanitarian agreement," Alberto Garrido, who has written books about ChC!vez and about Colombiabs guerrillas, remarked to IPS. "With this move, Uribe is trying to show the U.S. Congress that he is doing all he can to work towards a prisoner-hostage agreement and towards peace, just when the human rights situation in Colombia is being discussed in the legislature in Washington," Ana Julia Jatar, a political scientist who specialises in inter-American affairs, told IPS. The analyst pointed out that Bogota is pressing the U.S. Congress to approve the bilateral trade agreement negotiated with the United States, "which is why Uribe is not only inviting the reluctant Democrats but a bipartisan committee, so they can certify his administrationbs efforts to negotiate a solution to this chapter of Colombiabs armed conflict." As soon as Uribebs proposal was announced, political commentator AristC3bulo IstC:riz, who served as education minister under ChC!vez for several years, warned that "the Colombian president is introducing a detonator that could blow the entire process out of the water." IstC:riz said "the U.S. legislators have every right to meet with representatives of the guerrillas, but a meeting between three sides is another thing." ChC!vez, however, took what appeared to be a new obstacle in stride, and said it was "viable for the U.S. lawmakers to attend (the Oct. 8 meeting), although that will depend on whether the FARC accepts the proposal, because we cannot impose anything on anyone in this process." CC3rdoba and Castro urged ChC!vez to persevere in his efforts to broker an agreement, despite the criticism he may receive. "I believe that with you, an agreement is possible, and that without you it will not be," the senator told the president, while the archbishop asked him to show "patience, prudence and passion, until the goal is achieved." "Passion I have a great deal of; patience as well; prudence at times I lack," said ChC!vez, laughing, although he stressed that "I am not going to abandon this struggle," and said that "just as the FARC and the government have their non-negotiable, valid conditions, I also have one: a humanitarian agreement." The insurgents, in the meantime, have continued to show their support for ChC!vezbs involvement in the process. On Tuesday, an enthusiastic statement to that effect came from the FARCbs "Caribbean front", while a letter from another FARC chief, "RaC:l Reyes", was delivered to the president by CC3rdoba. The senator urged the public to come to a rally in Caracas Tuesday to launch a campaign in support of the humanitarian agreement. But the event, which was held in a downtown theatre parallel to the meeting with the hostagesb families taking place in the seat of government, was only attended by a few dozen supporters of ChC!vez, who listened to the bands that were playing. CC3rdoba announced that with Venezuelabs support, political rallies featuring live music would be held in New York, Paris, Caracas, Bogota and some city in Brazil, with the aim of drawing at least 100,000 people to each gathering in order to mobilise international public opinion in favour of the exchange. ChC!vez embraced Howesbs oldest son, who is 15, gave soccer balls to Stansellbs four-year-old twins, and urged the families "to mobilise public opinion in the U.S. so the parents can hug their children." The meetings will continue. CC3rdoba recalled that every four or five days he meets with ChC!vezbs ministers or associates to gauge the situation, while she is planning meetings with U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives. ChC!vez said that as soon as he meets with the FARC representatives on Oct. 8 "somewhere in Venezuela," he will get together with Uribe. * With additional reporting by Constanza Vieira in Colombia. *** Venezuelanalysis - Sep 26, 2007 http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2648 Chavez Says U.S. Can Help in Negotiations to Free Colombian Hostages by Kiraz Janicke Caracas, September 26, 2007, (venezuelanalysis.com) - As part of his efforts to mediate a humanitarian accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for help from the United States yesterday. "The government of the United States can help, a lot," Chavez said during a meeting in Caracas with the families of three US private security contractors for Northrop Grumman Corp. Thomas Howe, Keith Stannsen, and Marc Gonsalvez, who were captured by the FARC in 2003 when their spy plane crashed in the Colombian jungle. "I hope Bush has the disposition to help because the guerrillas are demanding 'SimC3n Trinidad' and 'Sonia' [two members of the FARC imprisoned in the US]," Chavez continued. In addition to the release of SimC3n Trinidad and Sonia, in exchange for the three US citizens held hostage by the FARC, the FARC are also demanding the release of 500 of its guerrillas fighters held in Colombian jails, in exchange for 45 hostages, including French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate captured in 2002. However, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, whose administration handed over Sonia and Trinidad to the US, ruled out any possibility of a prisoner swap involving the two Colombian guerrillas, "The government of Colombia does not support the request that the US should return Sonia and Trinidadb& They can return once they have completed their sentences in the United States." Instead, Uribe proposed that the US, a key ally which has provided billions of dollars in military aid to the Colombian government for its war against the FARC, send a congressional delegation to attend a negotiating meeting between Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba, Chavez, and the FARC, which is due to take place in Caracas on October 8. Uribe said that the US delegation should be formed by members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, saying, "This relationship is not party to party, government to government, but rather of the US state and the Colombian state." US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice immediately indicated she supports the idea of the involvement of a US congressional delegation in the mediation. Uribe also rejected any possibility of a demilitarized zone, as demanded by the FARC to facilitate the safe exchange of hostages, saying he believes it "could be used by the FARC to strengthen their positions." His primary obligation, Uribe said, was to "defend the higher principles of the state." Earlier this month Uribe also refused to allow a negotiating meeting to take place between Chavez and FARC leader Manuel Marulanda on Colombian soil, insisting any such meeting must be held in Venezuela. However, Chavez, who will meet with Uribe again on October 1st, said he remained optimistic about the possibility of achieving a humanitarian accord. "I guarantee that we will never stop fighting for this, I am committed to this," he added. The relatives of the US hostages thanked Chavez for his mediation. "Personally, it is the first moment in which I have hope in years," Howe's father told Chavez. Betancourt's mother, Yolanda Pulecio, who also attended the meeting with Chavez, similarly said she was "full of hope." As part of his efforts to achieve a humanitarian accord Chavez has also met with families of Colombian hostages held by the FARC, and hosted a negotiating meeting between Colombia's other main guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Colombian High Commissioner for Peace in Caracas on September 7. Chavez has recieved international support for his mediating role in the negotiations for a humanitarian accord, including from Bolivian President, Evo Morales, Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correa, President Luiz Ignacio "Lula" da Silva of Brazil, president Michelle Bachelet of Chile, and French President Nicholas Sarkozy. According to Senator Cordoba the process of negotiations for a humanitarian accord also enjoys majority support from Colombians who want to see an end to the 40-year civil war. An international campaign in support of peace in Colombia has been initiated with a Committee of International Support for a Humanitarian Accord in Colombia being launched yesterday in the Municipal Theatre in Caracas, with the participation of Cordoba, Venezuelan National Assembly Deputy Dario Vivas, deputies of the Latin American Parliament, as well as various Venezuelan and Colombian social organisations. Vivas explained that a process of collecting signatures has begun so that, "the Colombian, Venezuelan, and Latin American peoples and all the peoples of the world can express their support in favor of a humanitarian accord in Colombia." *** Reuters via The New York Times - Sep 26, 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-venezuela-usa-chavez.html Anti-US Chavez Urges Bush Help on Colombia Hostages CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged his antagonist U.S. President George W. Bush to help him secure the release of hostages, including three Americans, held by Colombia's FARC rebels. Supported by neighboring Colombia's president, Alvaro Uribe, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who wants a French-Colombian woman freed, Chavez has taken on the role of mediator with the 40-year-old rebel group. "To President Bush: hopefully you can help us," Chavez said late on Tuesday during a televised meeting in Caracas with relatives of the U.S. hostages. He did not specify how Bush should help. Right-wing Uribe is an unusual partner for Venezuela's self-styled socialist revolutionary. Any cooperation between Chavez and Bush -- a man he calls the devil -- would be the first between two leaders whose governments clash over everything from oil prices to arms deals to democracy. U.S. officials have charged that Chavez has openly aided FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, without presenting evidence to support the accusations. Washington, which brands the FARC a terrorist group, says it welcomes any effort to win the hostages' release through mediation. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice approves of the possible involvement of U.S. congressmen in the mediation, Uribe said on Tuesday. The United States is a key player in Colombia's conflict, having provided billions of dollars in military aid and holding in prison extradited leaders of the FARC. The FARC says it wants to swap its captives for rebels held in government jails and demands its comrades held in the United States are returned to Colombia. "That's a tough issue," Chavez said. "To be able to free everyone, that's what they propose: it all happens at once." A sticking point so far has been the FARC's demand for a safe area to hold the negotiations. The FARC has held hundreds of police, soldiers and politicians for years, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, snatched in 2002, and the Americans, who were taken while on a counter-narcotics mission a year later. *** Bloomberg - Sep 26, 2007 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=afdlDM.Mzzs8&refer=latin_america Venezuela's Chavez Meets U.S. Relatives of Colombia Hostages By Alex Kennedy Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met family members of three U.S. citizens held hostage by Colombia's largest guerrilla group and called on U.S. President George W. Bush to help facilitate their release. Chavez, who is trying to broker an exchange of 45 hostages for about 500 jailed members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, met relatives of the kidnapping victims at the presidential palace in Caracas late yesterday, the Information and Communications Ministry said in a statement. ``President Bush, I hope he can help us,'' Chavez said. ``I'm willing to do whatever I can to free the hostages.'' Colombian President Alvaro Uribe freed 150 jailed guerrillas in June in the hope that the FARC would move ahead with a swap that would include former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. The FARC are demanding a safe haven within Colombia, which Uribe rejects. *** AP via the Wash Post - Sep 26, 2007 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/26/AR2007092602021.html Uribe Cautious on Talks to Free Captives By Alexandra Olson The Associated Press NEW YORK -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Wednesday he was grateful Venezuela's leader is seeking to win the release of three Americans and other hostages in Colombia, but seemed cautious about raising hopes on the negotiations with leftist rebels. In an interview with The Associated Press, Uribe stressed that a meeting expected next month between President Hugo Chavez and rebel leaders would be only the latest of many efforts to free the captives. He was steadfast in refusing key rebel demands including a New York City-sized demilitarized zone and the release of two Colombian rebels imprisoned in the U.S. "It's difficult because everyone wants the release of hostages," said Uribe, who was in New York for a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. "I hope the rebels free the hostages at President Chavez's request. But we will express all of our gratitude to President Chavez ... whether or not the effort proves successful." Families of the kidnapped are optimistic Chavez could sway the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia because of the rebels' affinity for his leftist ideals. The Venezuelan president met Tuesday with relatives of three American defense contractors held by the FARC and the mother of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen. "We're the closest we've ever been to getting our son back," Lynne Stansell, mother of U.S. hostage Keith Stansell, said in Bogota on Wednesday. "Chavez told us he was doing this as a humanitarian gesture, not for political reasons." Chavez faces difficult negotiations. On Tuesday, he hinted at the idea of a U.S. presidential pardon for a FARC fighter convicted in a U.S. court of exporting cocaine and a second, higher-ranking rebel, convicted of conspiracy in the seizure of the three American contractors after their plane crashed on a surveillance mission. Uribe has ruled out including the two in any prisoner swap. He emphasized that his government has made several concessions, including releasing a high-ranking rebel in June at the request of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has made securing Betancourt's freedom a priority. A day after being freed, however, Rodrigo Granda said the FARC would only release hostages if government troops withdraw from a large swath of western Colombia. ad_icon Uribe said he discussed the hostage situation with Sarkozy this week and was to meet Thursday with relatives of Stansell and the two other U.S. captives, Marc Gonsalves and Tom Howes. The Colombian leader was reticent when asked if the negotiations between Chavez and the FARC might lead to a wider peace process with the rebels, who have been fighting the government for more than four decades. He insisted that his hardline security policies have significantly reduced murders and kidnappings. "For us, the military path is just as valid as the path of negotiation," Uribe said. "We will not allow anything to break our will to pursue a firm policy of saying 'no more terrorism.'" Since Uribe and Chavez announced the mediation effort last month, Washington has been cautiously supportive. The U.S. ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said last week that "we look upon favorably the participation of any leader, public servant, politician or important person" who might help secure the hostages' release. Success by Chavez in mediating a humanitarian swap could expand his influence. The United States accuses Chavez of being a threat to democracy but many Latin Americans laud him for using Venezuela's oil wealth to help the region's poor. Uribe, a strong U.S. ally who has cordial ties with neighboring Venezuela, said he was not concerned Chavez would get the credit for any release of prisoners. "I don't make those calculations," he said. "What motivates me to make decisions _ to support the efforts of President Chavez _ is the suffering of kidnap victims, the grief of the families." However, he said a delegation of U.S. lawmakers should accompany Chavez at the Oct. 8 meeting with rebel leaders. On Tuesday, Uribe said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raised no objections to the idea during a meeting. [Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman contributed to this report from Bogota.] * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================