Ecuador president offers his territory for liberation of FARC hostages during France visit

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador president offers his territory for liberation of FARC hostages during France visit

The Associated Press
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

PARIS: Ecuador is willing to allow the use of its territory if needed for a release of hostages held by Colombia's main rebel group, the South American country's president said Tuesday.

Rafael Correa, speaking in Paris following a meeting with French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, offered his "unconditional" assistance in France's bid to win the freedom of one of the hostages, French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt, from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

"If Ecuador's mediation is needed, if Ecuador's territory is needed for the liberation of the hostages, we'll be there," Correa told reporters outside Paris' Elysee presidential palace.

He urged Colombia to allow the international community to try to mediate not only the release of the hostages, but also an end to the decades-long conflict between the government in Bogota and the FARC.

More:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/13/europe/EU-GEN-France-Ecuador.php