Front Page  news  state

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Richardson Heading for Venezuela on Hostage Mission

By Barry Massey/
Associated Press
      SANTA FE — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is heading off on another diplomatic rescue mission.
    The Democratic governor will meet Friday with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to seek his help in securing the release of American hostages held by rebel forces in Colombia.
    The Americans have been held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, since 2003. Their families asked Richardson to intervene.
    The former U.N. ambassador and energy secretary during the Clinton administration visited Colombia last month and met with the country's president, Alvaro Uribe.
    While in Venezuela, Richardson also will meet with U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy.
    Earlier this year, FARC released six Colombian hostages to Chavez.
    "We'll see if Chavez can be a mediator and help. It's not easy to talk to FARC," Richardson said at a news conference today.
    Richardson said he wanted to talk with the presidents of the two countries before he attempted to engage in negotiations with FARC.
    Richardson has been a roving diplomatic troubleshooter since his days as a New Mexico congressman. He has negotiated the release of Americans in North Korea, Iraq and Sudan.
    His first rescue mission came in 1994 when he helped free a U.S. soldier whose helicopter had strayed into North Korea. In 2006, he negotiated the release of an American journalist held in Sudan.
    Richardson said he was coordinating his trip with the State Department but made it clear that he was not an official U.S. envoy.
    "The purpose of my trip is humanitarian. I am not a special envoy trying to better relations with Venezuela," said Richardson.
    He emphasized that his one-day trip to Venezuela would not lead to the immediate release of any hostages.
    "I'm not going to bring the hostages back in one shot. It will be a little time," Richardson said.
    The governor met Chavez a decade ago when he was first elected president.
    "All I'm trying to do with President Chavez is get him to help us secure of three Americans and others. There's a French woman too, Ingrid Betancourt. There are other Colombians," said Richardson.

Copyright ©2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.