Washington, April 02, SPA -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Tuesday he had approved a French mission to attempt to meet with hostages held by leftist rebels, including politician Ingrid Betancourt, who is currently sick. The mission would be “to protect the deteriorating health of the hostages,” Uribe said in Bogot. Betancourt, who holds dual French-Colombian citizenship, is being held along with scores of other hostages by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). In Paris, President Nicolas Sarkozy had called Uribe to inform him France was sending a humanitarian mission “without delay to contact the FARC and obtain access to our compatriot,” his office said. Uribe said once Colombia’s military has the coordinates of the location for any meeting between the French delegation and the rebels, it will temporarily suspend military operations in the zone. Betancourt, who has spent six years in captivity, is believed to be suffering from hepatitis B and a skin disease.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/542250