News Home Page Costa Rica Latin America Sections Special Reports Travel/Tourism Real Estate Business Health The Internet Letters Opinion Columnists Leisure EroTica Entertainment The Take! Learn Spanish Photos Editorial Letters Opinion Columnists Public Forum Who We Are About Us Contact Us Advertise with us Subscribe to our Newsletter Links Page     LATIN AMERICA - Thursday 17 February 2005 < Back   Send this Page To a Friend Venezuela, Colombia start efforts to improve ties The foreign ministries of Venezuela and Colombia started talks Wednesday to improve bilateral ties disrupted over the arrest of a Colombian rebel leader. The talks came after a meeting Tuesday between Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, here in the Miraflores presidential palace. Following the meeting, which lasted six hours, the two presidents told a press conference that differences between the two countries had been overcome and "with the visit," they had "turned the page." In a joint communique, both Chavez and Uribe said all projects and commercial agreements, including construction of a gas pipeline and exports of Colombian coal through Venezuelan ports, will be renewed. Describing the meeting as constructive, Chavez decided together with his Colombian counterpart to hold a bilateral high-level meeting attended by foreign ministers of the two countries to discuss steps to warm up relations. Chavez also assured Uribe that Venezuela is "not a sanctuary" for Colombian guerrillas, while Uribe admitted that illegal armed groups in his country had created difficulties for its neighbors. Uribe said both leaders agreed to improve communications between their respective defense, interior and foreign affairs ministries to avoid future incidents. Both countries had confirmed their commitment to stepping up efforts in fighting terrorism, drug-trafficking and organized international crimes, he added. Bilateral relations soured after the alleged arrest of Rodrigo Granda, a leading member of Colombia's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC), in December by Colombian law-enforcement personnel. Venezuela accused Colombia of abducting Granda on Venezuelan soil, while Colombia insisted the capture took place within its borders. President Chavez recalled Venezuela's ambassador from Bogota and froze diplomatic and commercial relations with Colombia and demanded a public apology. However, neither country could afford a long bilateral freeze like this and Beatriz de Majo, a local expert on Colombo-Venezuelan relations, said none of the two governments could stand such a diplomatic crisis longer than a month. Following a series of diplomatic efforts on both sides, Colombia and Venezuela announced on Jan. 28 that they have solved their nearly-two-month dispute. The Colombian government issued a communique, declaring an end to the dispute first, a move welcomed by the government of Venezuela. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez told the state-run Bolivarian News Agency that he was pleased to have finalized the matter, adding that a statement similar to that of the Colombian government would be issued soon.   Come Fly With Us! Let the power of advertising work for you.  Click here! Colombian Rebels Gun Down Small Town Mayor Marxist rebels killed a Colombian mayor while he supervised construction work on Wednesday in his small town in the center of the country, police said. The mayor of Genova, Jose Castro, 49, was gunned down by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a 17,000-strong rebel army, police said. The FARC, which has been fighting a war since 1964 in which thousands have died each year, declared the country's mayors military targets in 2002. FARC rebels killed three mayors in 2004. Genova, in the Andes mountains in Quindio Province, is the birthplace of 74-year-old FARC leader Manuel Marulanda, known by his nickname "Sureshot." Despite having almost no popular support in urban areas, the FARC has been able to expand thanks to money from the cocaine trade and kidnapping. It says it is fighting for social justice in a country where most people are poor.

Today's Stories: Venezuela, Colombia start efforts to improve ties Colombian Rebels Gun Down Small Town Mayor