By Xinhua
Buenos Aires : Argentina has called upon South American nations to help it in ending the stalemate over the release of three hostages by the Colombian rebel group and resolving the country’s internal conflict.
“All South American governments should help in solving and ending that conflict in Colombia, which has lasted for many decades,” Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana told a news conference here Thursday.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country’s most organised and Latin America’s largest and richest rebel outfit, following negotiations last month announced prisoner swap with Bolivian President Hugo Chavez. It said it would swap three of the 45 high-profile captives for some of their cadres in Colombian jails.
The hostages to be released were Clara Rojas, who was the running mate of Colombia’s presidential hopeful Ingrid Betancourt, Rojas’ son Emmanuel and former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez.
The FARC eventually suspended the handover of the three last Monday, saying the government’s intensified military offensive against the organisation impeded the release.
Taiana said the frustrated mission was “the first step” to reach a humanitarian accord and create conditions for peace talks in Colombia. There were some “positive results” of the mission, she added.