Colombia backs US lawmakers' hostage-swap proposal

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

BOGOTA, March 22 (Reuters) - An offer from U.S. lawmakers to witness negotiations to free 61 hostages, including three Americans, held for years by Colombian rebels could help clinch a prisoner swap, Colombia said on Thursday.

The Colombian government wants to exchange 61 politicians and other high-profile hostages held in secret jungle camps for an unspecified number of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas in government prisons. But the two sides have yet to agree on terms for starting talks.

Seven U.S. House of Representatives members wrote a letter to Colombia earlier this month offering to accompany any future negotiations with the 17,000-member rebel army known by its Spanish initials FARC.

"The most important thing is the offer from these Congress members to go to the negotiation zone as guarantors. We believe this could help give confidence to the FARC, which has always been afraid to enter talks," Colombian peace negotiator Luis Carlos Restrepo told local radio on Thursday.

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