Chávez, Lula deal with Mercosur, FARC

Caracas, Thursday June 26 , 2008

Chávez, Lula deal with Mercosur, FARC

Lula will capitalize on the meeting to discuss the possibility of acting as middleman for an agreement to release the hostages held by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces
EL UNIVERSAL

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will encourage this week his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez to speed up the talks for Venezuela's membership of the trade bloc known as the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), said the Brazilian President's spokesman Marcelo Baumbach.

Lula will capitalize also on his meeting, which is expected to last about five hours, to discuss the possibility of acting as middleman for an agreement to release the hostages held by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

"This matter will surely be discussed. Brazil, as usual, will reassert its willingness to cooperate in order to solve FARC-related troubles, but has always clarified that it is a Colombian internal affair and any solution is up to an agreement with Colombia," said Baumbach.

More:
http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/06/26/en_pol_art_chavez,-lula-deal-wi_26A1725601.shtml
opposition newspaper