FRANCE: Petition with over 95,000 signatures is handed over to the French Foreign Ministry in support of Ingrid Betancourt's release from FARC forces in Colombia
Record ID:
858741
FRANCE: Petition with over 95,000 signatures is handed over to the French Foreign Ministry in support of Ingrid Betancourt's release from FARC forces in Colombia
- Title: FRANCE: Petition with over 95,000 signatures is handed over to the French Foreign Ministry in support of Ingrid Betancourt's release from FARC forces in Colombia
- Date: 28th September 2005
- Summary: SHOWS : (BN11) PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 27, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) WIDE OF DEMONSTRATION ON CONCORDE BRIDGE IN FRONT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
- Embargoed: 13th October 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- City:
- Country: France
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVADZH8DS1QGNHK4PKSIOC3Z3VZK
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: A petition with 95,654 signatures was handed to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris on Tuesday (September 27) in support of France's latest attempt to secure the release of Colombia's former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt captured by the Marxist-influenced Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia know as FARC.
Some 20 people including former Iraqi hostages Florence Aubenas and Christian Chesnot as well as French singer Renaud were part of the delegation who delivered the petition at the French Foreign Ministry.
"We want to show that the French people support the initiative of the French government and we want to tell the Colombian government that France is not interfering in Colombia's internal affairs, it's not at all true. Colombia promised in the summer to work towards a humanitarian exchange of hostages for FARC jailed rebels but it does not do anything. But the French government is working on the problem and we want to support this initiative so that a humanitarian agreement can be signed and the hostages can be released as soon as possible", said Ludovic Nicolas, head of the petitioners.
French singer Renaud stressed that Ingrid Betancourt is seen as a symbol for all the hostages in the world.
"Ingrid Betancourt is, of course, the symbol of all the hostages in the world. On February 23, it will be her fourth year of capture and we will try together with the Betancourt committee to make that day a national day, and maybe an international day of support. ", he said.
French envoys have met the FARC on two occasions since July this year to try and secure the release of Ingrid Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian. Last week, Colombia protested at what it called unauthorised hostage talks between France and the FARC rebels, accusing France of interfering in Colombia's internal affairs.
However, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the government was still working with Colombia on the issue.
Besides Ingrid Betancourt, FARC holds 55 Colombian soldiers, police officers and elected officials, as well as three American subcontractors from the Pentagon. So far, it has only agreed to free them as a group for several hundred of its fighters held prisoner by the state, and is demanding prior to the negotiations the demilitarization for one month of two isolated villages in the Andes.
Betancourt was seized while campaigning for Colombia's presidency for a small left-wing party in early 2002. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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