Colombia, Switzerland at odds over mediator

[Judi Lynn]

Colombia, Switzerland at odds over mediator
Colombia accuses Jean-Pierre Gontard, who has been involved in hostage-release talks with the FARC, of being a money courier for the rebels. The Swiss say his work was 'exclusively humanitarian.'
By Patrick J. McDonnell and Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
July 25, 2008

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- A diplomatic dispute has broken out between Colombia and Switzerland over the role of a Swiss mediator involved in hostage-release talks with leftist rebels.

Colombia cut off the longtime European mediation effort after the July 2 rescue of former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages, including three U.S. contractors. Colombian officials have suggested that the Swiss mediator, Jean-Pierre Gontard, exceeded his authority and became a money courier for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

In response, the Swiss government last week called on Bogota to stop attacking the Geneva-based academic. The work of Gontard and a French mediator was "exclusively humanitarian," the Swiss said in a statement.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has long been irked by what he views as an overly benign vision among some European leftists of the FARC, which raises funds through cocaine trafficking and ransoms from its kidnapping victims.

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-dispute25-2008jul25,0,819976.story

[AlphaCentauri]

1. did he knew about the 20 millions?

[Judi Lynn]

2. Total news "blackout" right after the original information. I'm still looking.

It's a miracle we have learned that much!Thomson Financial News
FARC leaders were paid millions to free hostages: Swiss radio
07.04.08, 9:19 AM ET

PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Leaders of the Colombian FARC rebel movement were paid millions of dollars to free Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages, Swiss radio said on Friday, quoting 'a reliable source'.

The 15 hostages released on Wednesday by the Colombian army 'were in reality ransomed for a high price, and the whole operation afterwards was a set-up,' the radio's French-language channel said.

Saying the United States, which had three of its citizens among those freed, was behind the deal, it put the price of the ransom at some $20 million.

The radio said its source was 'close to the events, reliable and tested many times in recent years.'

The report added said the wife of one of the hostages' guards was the go-between, having been arrested by the Colombian army. She was released to return to the guerrillas, where she persuaded her husband to change sides.http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/07/04/afx5184293.html

[Judi Lynn]

3. Speaking of Switzerland, I just found the following:

July 25, 2008 - 4:03 PM Colombia seeks to question Swiss mediator

Colombian authorities plan to question Swiss hostage mediator Jean-Pierre Gontard amid allegations he transported ransom money to leftwing rebels.

Gontard and the Swiss foreign ministry have rejected the claim, which dates back to the 2001 release of two employees of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis who had been kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).

The Colombian government has accused Gontard of carrying $500,000 (SFr503,000) for the Farc.

The Colombian public prosecutor told a news conference in Bogotà it was appropriate to launch a formal investigation into the matter, including a hearing with Gontard.

However, no date has been set for the meeting. Reports say a representative of an independent organisation might take part in the hearing, possibly in Switzerland.

Together with France and Spain, Switzerland had tried to secure the release of hostages in Colombia for several years.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news_digest/Colombia_seeks_to_question_Swiss_mediator.html?siteSect=104&sid=9374141&cKey=1216994629000&ty=nd