U.S. grudgingly acknowledges Chavez role on hostages

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States grudgingly acknowledged Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's role in freeing two women hostages in Colombia on Thursday but made clear it was not about to ask his help to free three Americans there.

U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey warmly welcomed the release of the two women held for years in Colombia's jungles by Marxist rebels but avoided praising the leftist Chavez, an outspoken critic of the United States who has described U.S. President George W. Bush as the devil.

"We welcome the release of these two hostages," Casey told reporters of former Colombian vice-presidential candidate Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez, who were being flown to freedom on helicopters Chavez sent to pick them up.

"We are also appreciative of the leadership of (Colombian) President (Alvaro) Uribe, in terms of trying to secure the release of these hostages, and we welcome the good offices of any individuals who can help secure that, in cooperation with the Colombian government," he said.

He also called on the FARC, a peasant army created in the 1960s and now largely funded by Colombia's cocaine trade, to release all its hostages, who include former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who was kidnapped in 2002, and three U.S. anti-drug contractors captured in 2003.

Casey praised the efforts of Uribe in securing the release of the two women and said the United States would continue to work with his government on freeing the others. He largely avoided mentioning Chavez.

"I think that anybody, including President Chavez ... who has a role to play that is positive and that supports President Uribe and the Colombian government's efforts is to be welcomed," Casey said.

Asked if Washington was willing to work with Chavez to try to release the U.S. hostages, Casey replied: "Well, we continue to work with the government of Colombia. The government of Colombia and President Uribe are the ones who are ultimately responsible for managing whatever process is involved here."

He added that the United States would do "anything and everything" it could to secure the release of its hostages but would not directly address whether this might include talking to Chavez.

(Writing by Arshad Mohammed, editing by Cynthia Osterman)