Sarkozy welcomes Betancourt to Paris

French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt landed in Paris on Friday to an emotional welcome from President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made her release from captivity in the Colombian jungle a foreign policy priority.

Betancourt was rescued on Wednesday by the Colombian military after spending six years in the hands of leftist guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). France was not involved in the rescue raid.

Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy were on the tarmac to greet Betancourt, who arrived with her family on a special French flight from Bogota. France had dispatched the plane to take Betancourt's children to be reunited with her on Thursday.

Sarkozy and his wife hugged Betancourt and held her hands before also exchanging embraces with her children and relatives.

"Ingrid Betancourt, welcome. France loves you," a visibly moved Sarkozy said in a short speech on the tarmac.

A tearful Betancourt gave credit to France for her safe release, arguing that it was partly thanks to French campaigning that the Colombian military had opted against a perilous commando-style rescue raid.

"The extraordinary, perfect, flawless operation of the Colombian army that has allowed me to be here today is also a result of your struggle," she said.

Her release has received blanket media coverage in France, although a domestic political spat soured the celebratory atmosphere earlier on Friday.

CONTROVERSY

Sarkozy had played an active role in seeking the liberation of Betancourt since he took office last year, pushing for negotiations with her captors and urging the Colombian authorities to avoid any military action.

The French government was consequently kept in the dark about the Colombian rescue mission, unlike the United States, and Sarkozy was only informed Betancourt had been freed after Colombian soldiers extracted her from the jungle through a ruse.

Sarkozy's rival in the 2007 election, Socialist politician Segolene Royal, was swift to jump on this.

"Everyone knows that this well-executed Colombian operation proves that negotiations with the FARC (guerrillas) were useless and fruitless," Royal told radio reporters on a visit to Canada.

"Any controversy or political gain would be totally out of place because Nicolas Sarkozy had absolutely nothing to do with her liberation," she added.

Her sharp tone punctured the political goodwill generated by the release of Betancourt, who lived in France in her youth and has dual French nationality thanks to a now annulled marriage.

French Human Rights Minister Rama Yade said: "Segolene Royal thinks she is always on the campaign trail. The French people will not be fooled by her political manoeuvring."

France took Betancourt's plight to its heart over the past six years, enthusiastically embracing her as one of its own and staging countless marches and demonstrations on her behalf.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who was on the plane taking Betancourt's children to Bogota and bringing her back to France, refused to get involved in any controversy.

"(Colombian President Alvaro Uribe) wasn't always in favour of all the French initiatives," Kouchner said on RTL radio. "This is a victory for (Uribe) without any doubt, but it is not a defeat for others," he added.