Colombia, Venezuela seek to
overcome diplomatic crisis
The governments
of Colombia and Venezuela are
working for a solution to the
diplomatic crisis between them,
said a senior Colombian official
Tuesday.
"There is a constant and open
dialogue with the Venezuelan
Foreign Ministry," Colombian
Foreign Minister Carolina Barco
told Caracol Radio.
She said the Venezuelan Foreign
Ministry had willingness to
advance toward an agreement.
The foreign minister ruled out
that Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe will issue a statement on
the most recent criticism made
by Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez.
"We're going to focus on the
diplomatic channels, and there
will be no public statement,"
she said.
Relations between Colombia and
Venezuela soured after the
controversial arrest of
Colombian guerrilla leader
Rodrigo Granda in December.
Venezuela accused Colombian
agents of kidnapping Granda in
Caracas, thus violating its
territory while Colombia
insisted the capture took place
within its own borders.
Chavez recalled Venezuela's
ambassador from Bogota pending
an apology from Colombia.
Granda was one of the
international representatives of
the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC), the biggest
rebel organization of the
country.
Argentina, Spain sign
declaration to improve ties
Argentine President Nestor
Kirchner and Spanish Prime
Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero signed the Declaration
of Buenos Aires here Tuesday to
improve the political and
economic ties between the two
nations.
According to the officials here,
the representatives of the two
countries will further discuss
the "Strategic Partnership
Initiative," which the two
leaders put forward within the
framework of the bilateral
meeting held at the seat of the
Argentine government.
Earlier in an official text, the
Spain government "highly values
the efforts" carried out by
President Kirchner "to reach a
solution to the issue of the
Argentine public debt."
Zapatero, on his first visit to
South America since taking
office last year, arrived in
Argentina on Tuesday noon after
visiting Brazil from Sunday, and
he will fly to Chile on
Wednesday to meet with President
Ricardo Lagos in Santiago.
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The Cuban Biggest Market Opens
in Holguin
Over one hundred Cuban
enterprises participate in
Holguin Commercial Fair, the
biggest marketplace of this
province in the northeastern
zone of the island.
The Forum, sponsored by the
Cuban Chamber of Commerce has
become a stable promoter of
contacts and proven exchange
benefits for local managers and
those from the rest of the
country.
This is the ninth fair, usually
held at the Exhibition site of
EXPO-HOLGUIN, in the capital of
this province 743 kilometers
east of Havana.
The Exhibition director, Yolanda
Ferrer, noted that last year
Fair business and exchanges were
valued in over 45 million
dollars and 10 million pesos
(equal to dollars at the
official exchange rate).
The director added that the
event is taking place in a very
difficult situation for the
eastern provinces that have been
affected by a long drought that
is also affecting the western
region.
Details of the event are given
in the web site
www.expo.holguin.cu, including
presentations of products,
workshops and technical seminars
aimed to the enterprise sector.
Among the enterprises attending
the Fair appear: Havana Club
(Rum), TRADISA (Meat), Marcafix
(graphic arts), SEPRO
(Protection services), UDECAM
(Tracks enterprise group), ECASA
(Cuban Airline) and CIMEX
Corporation.
Holguin´s coastline is the third
most important tourist resort of
the island after Havana and
Varadero.
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