Fuente: © European Parliament
http://www.europarl.eu.int/

The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, has welcomed news of the release of Ingrid Betancourt and fourteen other hostages in Colombia.

/noticias.info/ Mr Pöttering made the following statement:

"I am very glad to hear of the release of the former Colombian Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages after a military operation by the Colombian army. The European Parliament shares their happiness and that of their loved ones. This ends their suffering which has lasted many years now. Their release clearly indicates that one must never give up hope.

I have written to President Uribe to congratulate him and his government for this successful operation. When I met President Uribe in Lima in May this year on the occasion of the EU-Latin America Caribbean summit we both agreed that democracy must never give in to terrorism and that the rule of law should prevail.

Nevertheless, our happiness can not be complete as long as other hostages are still being held in captivity. Our efforts must continue without cease in order to free all of them."

Ingrid Betancourt was abducted on 23 February 2002. Since then the European Parliament has been closely involved in all initiatives taken to obtain her release. In 2006 she was one of the three finalists for the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, together with the País Libre foundation. notas_de_prensa_archivo