 The kidnappers demanded a ransom for Cochetel and negotiated with France and the United Nations, but according to the latter no ransom was ever paid.He was freed by Russian forces in December 1998.He continued his work with UNHCR after his release, from 2002 in Geneva, and from 2005 as deputy director of Division of 
International Protection Services and Head of the Resettlement Service, before becoming regional ambassador of the UNHCR for the United States and the Caribbean, and later heading the European office.