The Republic of Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean north of
Madagascar, offered its territory to hold informal talks between the
Colombian Government and the country’s largest rebel group FARC, Ingrid
Betancourt announced Thursday.
The country, consisting of 115 tiny islands and officially Africa’s smallest country, had asked the former hostage to deliver the offer to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, which she did a few months ago already.
“They offered the first contacts with the FARC to be made in that wonderful place,” Betancourt said.
According to the recently liberated hostage, the islands provide “the environment for peace. They are out of reach for everyone and nobody could go to watch what is being talked about there. The invitation is in the hands of President Uribe.”