Colombia Taps Spain's Help To Free FARC Hostages

Madrid, Spain (AHN) - Spain is willing to help Colombia free the hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero told visiting Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on Wednesday Madrid will coordinate with France and Switzerland to help liberate the captives.

In a press conference, Zapatero said, "Spain has always been at the side of President Uribe and Colombia in all those efforts we have been able to carry out, and we continue with the same attitude, with all our political and diplomatic power."

Uribe has proposed to FARC to send a medical mission to be organized by Spain, France and Switzerland; Colombia's Catholic leaders and the International Red Cross to examine the condition of the hostages. He made a brief stop in Madrid after visiting Paris and Brussels in an effort to secure international support for the release of the hostages held by FARC for several years now.

This is not the first time that Spain is intervening on behalf of the hostages. In July 2007, Zapatero initiated peace talks with another armed separatist group, the ETA. At that time, FARC spokesman Edgar Devia commended Spain's efforts to mediate.

While in Spain, Uribe signed a strategic bi-national agreement with Madrid.