Colombia has offered to release jailed FARC rebels if they first hand over former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages, writes BBC online, Friday.
Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said that if some captives were liberated, it could begin the process of exchanging rebels for hostages.
The offer, backed by the president, comes amid reports that Ms Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen, is ill.
She is said to have hepatitis B and a tropical skin disease.