French President Nicolas Sarkozy said "France is profoundly happy" for the release of two hostages held by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), and vowed to step up efforts to make the rebel group deliver Colombian-French politician Ingrid Betancourt.

The successful operation shows that "things are moving forward, that this mobilization has started bearing fruits," Sarkozy told reporters.

"We are going to redouble the efforts for the remaining hostages to return, and first of all, Betancourt," the French ruler stressed, Efe reported.

"One part of Ingrid has been released today," said Betancourt's former husband Fabrice Delloye. He added that "the tone" between Chávez and Colombian President Álvaro Uribe "has relaxed significantly."