A meeting between Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and the top leader of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces Manuel Marulanda "could remove all of the obstacles," blocking a humanitarian swap of hostages for rebels in Colombia, said Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba.

Córdoba -together with Chávez- is mediating between the Colombian government and the FARC for the release of some 45 hostages held by the FARC for guerrilla troops in jail. In an interview published Wednesday by communist newspaper "L'Humanité," she declared, "Unquestionably, there is hope."

Córdoba attended Tuesday a luncheon with Chávez and French President Nicolas Sarkozy intended to deal with Chávez's mediation to attain a humanitarian agreement for the release of the hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, Efe reported.

According to Córdoba, a number of direct or indirect contacts have been made with the Colombian guerrilla group over the last few weeks. She showed conviction that "the delivery of the proofs of life of the hostages depends above all on a security matter, it will take some time for us to receive them, but the proofs will be delivered," she stressed.

Córdoba added that Sarkozy, together with US President George W. Bush, "may help" "unlock the position of the Colombian government."

According to Córdoba, a meeting between Chávez and Marulanda "would be very important because I am sure that" Chávez "would not leave the meeting with his hands empty."