French President Nicolas Sarkozy has renewed an appeal for Colombian rebels to free French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.
"I have a dream - to see Ingrid with her family for Christmas," he said in a televised message broadcast overnight and addressed to Manuel Marulanda, the head of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc Marxist rebels.
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy waves as he leaves the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Photograph: Charles Platiau/ Reuters
"Mr. Manuel Marulanda, you can make this dream come true, you can save this woman, you can show the world that the Farc understand humanitarian imperatives. Mr Marulanda, you carry a heavy responsibility. I ask you to assume it," Mr Sarkozy said.
Mr Sarkozy's move came after Colombia proposed direct talks with Farc guerrillas over releasing hostages, including Ms Betancourt, who was captured during her presidential campaign nearly six years ago in 2002, and three US contract workers.
Bogota is under heavy pressure to broker a deal to free the kidnap victims after President Alvaro Uribe on November 21st halted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Chavez's role in the negotiations, sparking a diplomatic spat.
Videos released by Colombia's government last week sparked an outcry over their plight. One showed Ms Betancourt looking gaunt and despondent in her secret jungle prison.