[Marxism] Chavez to meet with families of hostages held by FARC

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

("There are deep ideological differences between Chavez and Colombia's
U.S.-allied President Alvaro Uribe. Both leaders, however, have
worked to maintain cooperative relations between their countries,
which are bound by trade and concerns about security along a border
frequented by rebels, paramilitary fighters and drug traffickers.

("The FARC has repeatedly declared its support for Chavez. The
Venezuelan leader, however, has never endorsed the rebels while
maintaining a neutral stance regarding Colombia's armed conflict.")
=============================================================================

Venezuela's Chavez to meet with families of hostages held by Colombian rebels
The Associated Press
August 16, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/17/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Colombia-Hostages.php

CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez said he would meet with the
families of hostages held by Colombia's largest rebel group and is
willing to help mediate peace talks between the guerrillas and the
Colombian government.

"I've put myself at all of Colombia's service," Chavez said Thursday
in brief comments following a meeting with Colombian Sen. Piedad
Cordoba, who has received permission to serve as peace mediator with
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, over a possible
humanitarian exchange.

Chavez said he spoke with President Alvaro Uribe earlier on Thursday,
but did not elaborate.

The FARC is holding hundreds of hostages, including former
presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. defense
contractors, whom they say they will free in exchange for the release
of imprisoned guerrillas and a temporary demilitarized zone.

The state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported that Chavez would meet
with families next week, but it was not immediately clear who he
would meet or where.

Chavez was quoted as saying that he would be involved only if Uribe's
government and rebel leaders were open to the idea.

"If the Colombian government sees holding a meeting between the
mediator and those from the government and the FARC in Venezuelan
territory, wherever, as convenient, if the FARC thinks it is
convenient, we are willing to cooperate," he said.

In recent weeks Chavez has repeatedly floated the idea of meeting
with Colombian rebel leaders to discuss ways to end the neighboring
country's decades-long armed conflict involving government troops,
leftist insurgents and paramilitary groups.

There are deep ideological differences between Chavez and Colombia's
U.S.-allied President Alvaro Uribe. Both leaders, however, have
worked to maintain cooperative relations between their countries,
which are bound by trade and concerns about security along a border
frequented by rebels, paramilitary fighters and drug traffickers.

The FARC has repeatedly declared its support for Chavez. The
Venezuelan leader, however, has never endorsed the rebels while
maintaining a neutral stance regarding Colombia's armed conflict.


================================
WALTER LIPPMANN
Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
writer - photographer - activist
http://www.walterlippmann.com
================================

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