Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said the Venezuelan proposal "coincides with what the Colombians have always said that kidnapping has no place in our society...and we demand FARC immediately free all its prisoners."

Sharing a border line of about 2,200 km, tension between the two countries has mounted time and again in recent years, especially since Uribe last November abruptly called a halt to Chavez's mediation role in the hostage release, as the Venezuelan leader had allegedly broken their agreement.

Chavez responded by putting the ties "in the freezer" and withdrew the Venezuelan ambassador from Bogota, saying Colombia "deserves a better president".

Chavez, despite his war of words with Uribe, has this year helped to facilitate the unilateral release of several high-profile hostages who had been held by the FARC for several years.

But in early March, when the Colombian army launched a cross-border attack against the FARC on the Ecuadorian territory, their ties were chilled again although the tension later eased at a Rio Group summit.

Their relationship has hit a new low recently, with Colombia and the United States accusing Chavez of giving financial and military support to the FARC, and Venezuela charging that the Colombian troops had crossed into the Venezuelan territory last month. Both sides, however, have denied each other's charges.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)