France's Kouchner traveling to Venezuela, Colombia for talks on FARC hostages

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is to visit Venezuela and Colombia this week to discuss ways to encourage Colombian FARC rebels to release their hostages, including politician Ingrid Betancourt, his office said.Kouchner's two-day visit comes on the eve of the sixth anniversary of Betancourt's capture. Betancourt, who has both Frenchand Colombian nationality, was campaigning for Colombia's presidency when she was kidnapped on Feb. 23, 2002. French authorities have made her release a priority.The French minister was to meet Wednesday in Caracas with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has played a role in mediating the crisis.