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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Chavez makes Colombia rebel call | Chavez makes Colombia rebel call |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called on the US and European governments to stop treating Colombian left-wing rebel groups as terrorists. | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called on the US and European governments to stop treating Colombian left-wing rebel groups as terrorists. |
| Mr Chavez said the Farc and ELN guerrilla movements were armies with a political project and should be recognised as such. | Mr Chavez said the Farc and ELN guerrilla movements were armies with a political project and should be recognised as such. |
| He was speaking a day after helping manage the Farc's release of two hostages held for more than five years. | He was speaking a day after helping manage the Farc's release of two hostages held for more than five years. |
| The Colombian president swiftly rejected Mr Chavez's idea. | The Colombian president swiftly rejected Mr Chavez's idea. |
| Just a day after helping to broker the liberation of two high-profile hostages, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, Chavez used his annual state of the nation speech to make the appeal, addressing himself to Colombia's conservative President Alvaro Uribe. | Just a day after helping to broker the liberation of two high-profile hostages, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, Chavez used his annual state of the nation speech to make the appeal, addressing himself to Colombia's conservative President Alvaro Uribe. |
| "I ask you (Uribe) that we start recognizing the Farc and the ELN as insurgent forces in Colombia and not terrorist groups, and I ask the same of the governments of this continent and the world," Mr Chavez said. | |
| 'Pain and poverty' | 'Pain and poverty' |
| But Mr Uribe quickly rejected the idea. | But Mr Uribe quickly rejected the idea. |
| Little optimism after releases | Little optimism after releases |
| He said the insurgents were terrorists who funded their operations with cocaine smuggling, recruited children and planted land mines in their effort to topple a democratically elected government. | He said the insurgents were terrorists who funded their operations with cocaine smuggling, recruited children and planted land mines in their effort to topple a democratically elected government. |
| "The only thing they have produced is displacement, pain, unemployment and poverty," Mr Uribe said. | "The only thing they have produced is displacement, pain, unemployment and poverty," Mr Uribe said. |
| The Colombian and Venezuelan presidents have been squabbling for months over Mr Chavez's role in trying to mediate swap of hostages for guerrilla prisoners held by Colombia's government. | The Colombian and Venezuelan presidents have been squabbling for months over Mr Chavez's role in trying to mediate swap of hostages for guerrilla prisoners held by Colombia's government. |
| The release of Ms Rojas and Ms Gonzalez was the most important handover in the Colombian conflict since 2001. | The release of Ms Rojas and Ms Gonzalez was the most important handover in the Colombian conflict since 2001. |
| The Farc said the unilateral move showed its willingness to negotiate over remaining hostages. | The Farc said the unilateral move showed its willingness to negotiate over remaining hostages. |
| Correspondents say it was a triumph for Mr Chavez, who greeted the women in Caracas on Thursday following their release. | Correspondents say it was a triumph for Mr Chavez, who greeted the women in Caracas on Thursday following their release. |
| The Venezuelan president has said he wants to repeat the success with dozens of other captives. | The Venezuelan president has said he wants to repeat the success with dozens of other captives. |
| But Mr Uribe has been wary of his Venezuelan counterpart's involvement. | But Mr Uribe has been wary of his Venezuelan counterpart's involvement. |
| The Farc and the smaller ELN say they are fighting for a fairer distribution of wealth. | The Farc and the smaller ELN say they are fighting for a fairer distribution of wealth. |
| In 2002 the EU joined the US in classifying the Farc as a terrorist group. | In 2002 the EU joined the US in classifying the Farc as a terrorist group. |