Colombia proposes FARC to hand over hostages to Venezuela or France

BOGOTA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said on Friday he hoped the Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) rebels to hand over hostages to France, Venezuela or the International Red Cross.

In a speech at the National Capitol, Uribe made the proposal to continue efforts for the release of the prisoners held by the FARC.

"If in a unilateral decision they free kidnapped people to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, to French President Nicolas Sarkozy or to the Red Cross, the government will welcome that liberation," Uribe said.

The proposal comes two days after Uribe suspended Venezuela's role as facilitator of talks with the FARC due to what it called "method failures," a decision that confused many Colombians.

Venezuela lamented the decision but said it would respect the decision and continue to offer its help.

Uribe said he will continue to talk with the FARC, despite strong differences, and to seek the prisoners' freedom through peaceful accords and armed rescue missions.

France asked Uribe to continue to seek an exchange of imprisoned FARC members for hostages held by the FARC, including Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian and French citizen.

FARC, the largest rebel group in Colombia, is fighting Uribe's "democratic security policy" that seeks to re-establish internal order and protect civilians from the depredations of illegal armed groups.

The FARC still has at least 50 "interchangeable" prisoners, including dozens of Colombians, three U.S. citizens and Betancourt, who has been held since 2002. The rebel group promised to hand over evidence by December that the prisoners are still alive.