“Today I spoke with … Sarkozy about some issues, above all the humanitarian exchange” of hostages for jailed rebels between the Colombian government and leftist FARC rebels, Chávez said on state-run VTV television.”We’ll be happy to receive the French foreign minister next February 20 to talk about this issue,” he added.France has been increasingly involved in Colombia’s hostage crisis since the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia kidnapped French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betencourt when she was campaigning for the Colombian presidency in 2002.Chávez said Kouchner’s visit would provide “assessment and more details” to Sarkozy about FARC’s February 3 announcement that they would release three Colombian lawmakers they have been holding captive for seven years.FARC said it was prepared to release Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Perez and Orlando Beltran — all captured in 2001 — “unilaterally because of the state of their health.”The three lawmakers are among 43 high-profile hostages, including three Americans, whom the FARC wants to exchange for 500 rebels held in Colombian prisons.
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