Delegates from Green parties form 10 countries currently visiting Bogotá will suggest that former president Jimmy Carter head an international mediation commission between the Colombian government and ELN rebels in an eventual peace process.

"(The commission) would be composed of internationally known personalities. The ideal would be to seek the help of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and that is not too difficult. Jimmy Carter - who was a mediator in Venezuela- could be asked officially to participate", David Coronado spokesman for the French Greens told AFP.

The Greens - who visited Colombia- met last week with ELN spokesman Francisco Galan, who has been assigned to remain in a "House of Peace" near the city of Medellin.

"One of the challenges that Galan must take up is to involve all citizens, that is why we have suggested that he be helped to set up this commission," added the French delegate revealing that the Greens will publish a report by Galan about his contacts with various groups. This report will be published on 23 February.

"We will release this report internationally, in the European Parliament and in different political forums. The Greens will organise the translation of this report", announced Coronado.

Green party representatives from Australia, Brazil, USA and many European countries arrived in Colombia last week "to demand freedom for the hostages", in particular for Ingrid Betancourt, founder member of the Greens in Colombia.

On 7 September last, the Colombian government led by Alvaro Uribe released Galan on licence and allowed him to leave prison in order to examine possibilities of peace talks although the ELN military leader, Antonio Rodriguez, still in hiding, declared that this release was "insufficient to open a peace process".