FARC have rejected the invitation extended to its leaders to discuss a humanitarian agreement in the Parliament and they restate that there is no possibility of their agreeing to release hostages while Alvaro Uibe is President.

FARC posted their answer on the internet run by the Nueva Colombia agency (Anncol) following the invitation made by the President of the Congress, Dilian Francisca Toro, drawn up after the swearing in of President Uribe for his second term in office.

In their statement FARC stressed that security reasons prevent their leaders from speaking "before a Congress who support corruption and the paramilitary".

The rebels put special emphasis on the fact that Uribe made no reference during his speech to the situation of some 60 politicians, soldiers and police held captive who they claim they will exchange for 500 imprisoned rebels through a humanitarian agreement.

For this reason, they describe Uribe as a 'conman' and conclude "this subject is of no interest to him, that is the reason he did not refer to it in his speech".