Colombian President Alvaro Uribe will meet next week with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to discuss how Venezuela can assist in negotiating a prisoner exchange between the government and FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said Uribe chose liberal Sen. Piedad Cordoba to contact FARC, President Chavez and other governments.

Araujo said he is coordinating the agenda for the Uribe-Chavez meeting sine die although Cordoba said the presidents spoke by telephone during her meeting with Chavez yesterday in Caracas.

Cordoba added that Venezuela may host the talks if the government and rebels agree to negotiate.

Chavez also announced a meeting Monday with relatives of some of the FARC prisoners.

Colombian political circles say that, in addition to the prisoner exchange, these contacts could be the first step toward broader peace talks.