Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday called for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to be labeled as insurgents, in line with the Geneva Conventions, instead of as terrorists.
Speaking during his weekly television broadcast, Chavez described Colombia's conflict as a "political problem that requires a political solution," calling on the FARC to be labeled insurgents with political aims, which would lead them to obey rules of war established under the Geneva Conventions, and which prohibit kidnapping.
The TV program also featured Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, two hostages freed Thursday by the Colombian rebel group.
Chavez said he is trying to safeguard peace in Colombia, adding "I don't agree with kidnapping and I don't agree with armed struggle."
Along with Chavez, Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba had tried to mediate between Colombia's government and the FARC, the nation's largest guerrilla group.
The FARC released Rojas and Gonzalez as what it called "compensation" to Chavez and Cordoba for their mediation work, which ended in late November.
Chavez added that his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe is interested in his suggestion to launch peace talks in the Caguan region, with the FARC releasing a large number of hostages in return.
He also called on the FARC to respect Venezuelan sovereignty, saying that it had also committed kidnappings in Venezuelan territory. Source:Xinhua
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