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France wants to secure the release of Ingrid Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian national captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, while campaigning for Colombia's presidency for a small left-wing party in early 2002.
Colombia posted a letter on its official website on Friday saying it was "annoyed and angered" by the clandestine talks.
"These negotiations, pursued without notification of the Colombian government, constitute an interference in the internal affairs of our country," the letter says.
"Colombia has not authorized any contact between the FARC and the French government," it says.
France's embassy in Bogota had no comment on the letter of protest. But an embassy spokesman pointed out that in July Colombian Interior Minister Sabas Pretelt said a French emissary had traveled to a secret location to meet Raul Reyes, a top FARC commander.
"The (Colombian) government authorized the French government to intercede on behalf of the people who have been kidnapped," Pretelt told reporters at the time.
Colombia is trying to negotiate a swap of over 60 FARC hostages, including Betancourt and three Americans, for rebels held in government jails.
Thousands die every year and tens of thousands more are displaced in Colombia's decades-old guerrilla war, which pits the rebels against the state and illegal far-right paramilitary militias.
Reuters AlertNet, UK
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