Due to today's declarations by the spokesman of the Government of France when he assures that alias 'Raul Reyes' "was the long-time mediator with the countries involved in the release of the hostages and particularly with France and Switzerland, but not particularly in the past days", the Government of Colombia reiterates:  

1. That Ecuador never consulted nor informed the Government of Colombia that it was carrying on contacts with FARC for the release of the kidnapped.

2. That during the different occasions in which the delegates have looked for or made contacts with FARC to reach a humanitarian agreement, they have done so with the knowledge of the Government of Colombia. 

3. The Government has never put obstacles in the way of those contacts.

Bogotá, March 5, 2008.