As he welcomes initiatives by Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe denounces in an exclusive interview in Le Figaro, actions of the guerrillas, who run a “mafia-type” organisation.

Le Figaro.-What is your reaction to the growing international diplomatic moves following the publication of the latest images of Ingrid Betancourt?

Alvaro Uribe. - Like the international community, the Colombians were shocked by these terrible images. But these images do not surprise us. For 50 years, Farc have tortured, and killed hundreds of our fellow citizens. Last June, they killed 22 people. Last month they provided proofs of life of 16 hostages, but we have had no news of 31 others who could be included in the humanitarian exchange. Among g them, is Clara Rojas, who assisted the presidential candidate. There is also her son Emanuel who was born and has grown up in captivity. I would like to remind the people of France that in the last 10 years, 750 people have disappeared. Please God, demands by Nicolas Sarkozy and the international community will be considered and we will see the immediate unilateral and unconditional freeing of hostages.

Do you think that the message sent to Farc has a chance of being heard?

In a humanitarian crisis, all initiatives, including that of President Sarkozy, are important. It is not a matter of criticising one or the other because one has taken such and such an initiative. The important thing is that all agree to confront the Farc terrorists so that they may free the hostages.

What conditions are indispensable for a humanitarian agreement?

I think it is important to remind people that Colombia holds sovereignty in a political and democratic context. We cannot accept, in the context of a humanitarian agreement, any likely threat to the democratic security of the Colombian people. This is why we do not agree to the creation of a territory from which police and military have been excluded, as requested by Farc. This would no longer allow us to safeguard the security of citizens living there. We ask that Farc militants who could be released from prison would undertake to leave the guerrilla movement. As president of Colombia, I must encourage the freeing of the hostages, and prevent Farc from terrorising Colombians.

Some criticise you for refusing to have talks with Farc.

I would like to remind them that at the request of President Sarkozy last May, I freed Manuel Granda(deemed to be the foreign affairs minister of Farc, editor’s note) ,and that I authorised the release of 150 members of Farc held in Colombian jails. We allowed many sets of talks, at the risk of causing tense relations with a neighbouring country such as Venezuela. The guerilla’s response to these efforts was a spate of killings, lies and deception. We decided, last week, to agree to the Catholic Church’s proposal to create a “meeting zone” (to facilitate the freeing of 45 hostages in exchange for 500 rebels) which met the following criteria: a rural area with neither a population or police or military presence. A zone of approx 150 square kilometres. We need international observers to guarantee security in the zone. Negotiations m us be limited to 30 days. But we are making a second proposal to the guerrillas: we have set up a fund of 100 million dollars to pay compensation to those rebels who make a decision to demobilise by bringing with them the hostages in their charge.

After the termination of the role of Chavez in mediation efforts, is there still a role for international mediation?

We authorised the President of Venezuela to mediate. We explained at that time why we had suspended his role(due to a direct contact made by Chavez with the chief of the Colombian army, editor’s note).We said that if Farc wants to handover the hostages to President Sarkozy or to the Venezuelan authorities, our government would be delighted with these unilateral and unconditional releases. Let me make it clear: unilateral and unconditional releases.

Is it possible, in your opinion, to negotiate politically with Farc?

I want to say this to the people of France: Colombia has a democratic government that is taking on a mafia. When I was a young man in the 1970’s, the guerilla movement had an ideology. It wanted to impose a working class dictatorship, a socialist economy under state control brought about by a class struggle. Since then, the guerrilla movement has forgotten its ideology and has become a gang of mercenaries.