French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has asked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to take up the position of mediator between Colombia's government and the FARC rebels.

Visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner asked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Wednesday to resume his role as mediator between Colombia's government and its leftist rebels, officials said.

In January and February, guerrillas with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) released six hostages to representatives of Chavez, who is sympathetic towards the rebels.

Hostages being held by the FARC include French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt, 46, kidnapped in February 2002 while campaigning for the Colombian presidency. She is believed to be gravely ill.

Kouchner "recognized the efforts" of Chavez "in the liberation of several FARC hostages and asked that he re-take his role as facilitator," a Venezuelan government spokesman said.

Kouchner said that Venezuela and Chavez continue to be "an important factor to get back on the path that permitted these liberations," the spokesman said.

The French foreign minister told reporters after the meeting that he and Chavez spoke about Betancourt as well as "the fate of all of the hostages, especially the civilians."

He said he also offered France's support to "reduce tensions" between Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, and to try to get them to "renew normal and fraternal relations."

The diplomatic crisis between Caracas and its neighbors was triggered by the March 1 Colombian military attack on a FARC base located across the border in the remote Ecuadoran jungle.

Among the dead was the FARC's number two leader, Raul Reyes, who had dealt with Chavez in the past.

In response, Chavez deployed 10 army battalions to the Colombian border. The attack also prompted Quito and Caracas to suspend relations with Bogota.

Kouchner's meeting with Chavez follows meetings Monday with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Bogota, and Tuesday with Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa in Quito.

"I have gone to the three countries that count for those who await the liberation of the FARC hostages, and I know that the tension between them remains high," Kouchner said.

"I expect and want to believe that these three days have been useful, and will be useful for the resolution of this sad and painful case," he added.

The FARC guerrillas are seeking a deal with Uribe to swap some 40 hostages, including Betancourt, for 500 jailed rebels.

The FARC has been fighting the Bogota government for more than four decades and is believed to hold hundreds of captives.