Ingrid Betancourt has become a source of diplomatic squabbles between Paris and Bogotá. In an interview with the weekly Semana, the Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos, accuses France of being" terribly negative and harsh" with regard to his government. According to Santos, the French government has been responsible for " a very well organised campaign" in support of the French-Colombian politician. The former Senator, kidnapped in February 2002 by the left -wing guerrilla group FARC would become an " electoral issue in France", "on the back of the Colombian government".

Like many leaders in his country, Santos thinks that public opinion in France has "reversed roles" blaming Bogotá for not having undertaken negotiations to free Betancourt and 57 other political and military hostages held by FARC. In his opinion, the culpability of the kidnappers has been forgotten:" People are indignant when visiting Paris to see a notice in City Hall that simply describes Ingrid as "detained" by FARC and not kidnapped".

In September, revelations in the local press in Colombia that meetings had been held between a French envoy and Raul Reyes, the FARC spokesman caused a mini controversy. Bogotá sent a note through diplomatic channels accusing France of interference. French diplomats were confused as they referred to previous statements from the Colombian Interior Minister where he conformed that such meetings had indeed had the backing of the local government.

Under cover of anonymity, some senior civil servants in Colombia also accused the French of having offered money to FARC. Camille Rohou, the French Ambassador to Colombia, who has the support of relatives of hostages, admitted this weekend in

the daily paper El Espectador that "there might well be a certain mistrust" between the two countries.

The hostage situation remains unchanged; FARC are demanding the release of all imprisoned rebels in return for the hostages, under conditions that the authorities refuse.