[NYTr] Colombia: FARC Provides Video of Captive; Chavez Questions Uribe on Rumors
 
Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:31:12 -0600 (CST)

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Prensa Latina, Havana
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Colombia FARC Provides Video of Captive

Bogota, Nov 24 (Prensa Latina) The Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC) gave evidence of survival of one of the officers
arrested to opposition Senator Piedad Cordoba, who travelled to Caracas
Saturday, local media revealed.

Caracol radio station informed it is a video of Captain Guillermo
Solorzano, the police chief of Florida, in Valle del Cauca Department,
who was arrested by the FARC on June 4 along with a businessman.

In the 60-minute recording, Solorzano says he hopes Venezuelan
president Hugo Chavez continues with his mediating efforts.

The same source indicated Cordoba left for Caracas accompanied by
Venezuelan ambassador in Colombia Pavel Rondon, with the FARC video, as
the rebel group wants it to be given to Chavez.

The Colombian government cut off the Venezuelan leader's arbitration,
but Chavez has expressed his willingness to keep collaborating as much
as possible.

President Uribe said Friday he would accept any unilateral effort
between FARC and the leaders of Venezuela, France, or any instance. 

hr dig rc mf PL-11

                        ***

Chavez Asks Uribe to Clarify Rumors

Caracas, Nov 24 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez asked
his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe to clarify rumors spread by
official spokespersons against him and accused sectors from that
neighbouring country of breaking humanitarian efforts.

 In an interview for La Hojilla television program, Chavez said that
there is great pressure against the Colombian president from power
circles who reject the humanitarian agreement.

C3 I tell president Uribe that he should clarify the situation because
his spokespersons are launching a shadow of doubt on me, C3 said Chavez.

The head of the Venezuelan state noted that some of Uribe"s advisors
are C3 dying to break the process C3 which he moved forward for about
three months with Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba to make possible the
exchange of prisoners..

Chavez said the argument used to justify the end of his mediation was
"an excuse," and emphasized that the contact with General Mario
Montoya, cited as the cause, did not last even one minute.

hr ajs ml mf PL-6

                               ***

Week of Frustration for Colombians

Bogota, Nov 24 (Prensa Latina) Millions of Colombians suddenly went
from optimism to frustration, after the government decided Thursday to
rescind the mediating endeavors by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for
an exchange of prisoners between the government and the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The government's decision also extended to opposition Senator Piedad
Cordoba, who was trying to open contacts between the government and
FARC.

The government alleged to an inappropriate telephone conversation
between Chavez and Armed Forces Chief General Mario Montoya, but large
social and political circles called the decision a blatant pretext,
given the importance of the issues that are at stake.

Most of the relatives of the people detained by FARC reacted
immediately, but despite pleas to President Alvaro Uribe, top Colombian
authorities made clear there will be no steps backward.

Analysts agree that the end of the mediating efforts by Chavez and
Cordoba had been inferred since Monday when, in another release, High
Commissioner for Peace Luis Carlos Restrepo referred to December 31 as
deadline for endeavors favoring an exchange of prisoners.

Now those efforts return to zero, as they are in the hands of Restrepo,
who has never reached an understanding with FARC.

In the meantime, President Uribe insists the solution lies in his
democratic security policy, which implies confronting the resistance,
and even rescuing the hostages by force, something many people reject
due to the human risks it entails.

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