Colombia Red Cross hopeful on French reporter's release

A Red Cross official in Colombia said Monday he was optimistic about the release of kidnapped French journalist Romeo Langlois by FARC rebels, urging them to free him "as soon as possible." "We are very optimistic and are now awaiting a speedy resolution," said Daniel Munoz, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in southern department of Caqueta. "As we have said all along, this cannot go on. Romeo Langlois is hurt and must be released and returned to his family right away," after a FARC message announced the group's intention to free Langlois. "This is why we insist that this process takes place as soon and quickly as possible," Munoz said. Caqueta is a FARC stronghold on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, where Langlois was abducted. A correspondent for the French television channel France 24, the 35-year-old journalist was captured April 28 by the Marxist guerrillas during a battle with Colombian troops that erupted during an anti-drug operation he was filming. Wounded in the arm, Langlois surrendered to the guerillas peacefully. To hasten his release, the ICRC did not ask for "proof of life," which has sometimes been the case for hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). "Based on public information and information that we have directly received, we are sufficiently confident of the fact that Romeo Langlois is in the FARC's hands and that he is, as they have said, alive, wounded in the arm but in good health," said Munoz. Munoz also said a rescue operation by road or river would be faster than one by helicopter, a method of transport used in previous FARC hostage situations, and gave assurances that cars and boats are available to retrieve Langlois. Among the conditions spelled out by the FARC for Langlois's eventual release was the participation of former senator and mediator Piedad Cordoba, who has facilitated several hostage releases in the past. "I cannot refuse a humanitarian mission. Let's see what the government says," Cordoba told reporters on Monday, though cautioning: "If this plays out like previous releases, it will not happen tomorrow, that's for sure." Founded in 1964, FARC, the largest organization of its kind in Colombia, counts more than 9,200 guerillas, who occupy mountainous and forested regions. Last February, the FARC committed to end its practice of kidnapping for ransom. y