Colombian Leader's U-turn Offers Hope to Families of Hostages

Bowing to domestic and international pressure, the Colombian government has offered to withdraw troops from a small rural town to negotiate with leftwing rebels for the release of dozens of high-profile hostages held for years in hidden jungle camps.

President Alvaro Uribe announced that he would accede to rebel demands for a troop pullout in what he recognised as a major U-turn on his hardline policies. "I confess this is a concession on the part of my government," Mr Uribe said. "We want to be understanding of the anguish, the pain and suffering of so many Colombian families whose relatives have been kidnapped."

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) is holding 63 high-level hostages, including the former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, dozens of local politicians and military officers, and three American defence contractors captured when their plane went down in Farc territory. Some of the hostages have been held for up to seven years.

Farc is seeking to exchange the hostages for thousands of its members held in Colombian jails. The rebel army has not publicly responded to the government's acceptance of the pullout proposal. Farc had previously demanded a withdrawal from an area far larger than the 70 square miles on offer.

Yolanda Pulecio, Ms Betancourt's mother and a spokeswoman for the hostages' families, said of Mr Uribe's initiative: "He has taken an important step and we hope that the rebels do the same."

A prisoner exchange deal, or even the promise of talks, could give Mr Uribe a bigger edge over his opponents as he seeks a second presidential term in elections next year. The 15,000-strong Farc has been fighting the Colombian state for four decades, financing its struggle through the drug trade and kidnappings for ransom. Hundreds of hostages held for ransom would not be included in any prisoner exchange deal with the government.