OAS Puts Up Proposal To
Normalize Strained
Colombia-Ecuador Ties
The Organization of
American States (OAS)
chief said Thursday that
the group has drafted a
proposal to help
Colombia and Ecuador
mend ties that were once
severed due to a
Colombian cross-border
attack on rebels last
month.
Upbeat on the prospects
of ties normalization,
OAS General Secretary
Jose Miguel Insulza,
currently on a mediation
mission to Colombia,
refused to reveal
details about the
proposal.
He said it was
indiscreet to disclose
particulars before the
two concerned countries
approved the draft.
The official reiterated
the importance of
Colombia and Ecuador
exercising restraint and
discretion in the
process of rebuilding
trust.
He also welcomed remarks
by Ecuadorian President
Rafael Correa on
clamping down on
Colombian rebels, saying
such remarks were
conducive to expediting
the re-establishment of
ties between the two
countries.
Ecuador broke off
diplomatic relations
with Colombia on March
3after Colombia's army
attacked a rebel base of
the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
in Ecuadorian territory
on March 1,which killed
26 people.
The attack drew strong
condemnation from
Ecuador, Venezuela and
Nicaragua and briefly
aroused fears of a war
in the Andean region as
Ecuador and Venezuela
ordered troops to their
borders with Colombia.
Then, at a Rio Group
Summit on March 7,
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe apologized
to Correa and promised
to abstain from similar
raids in the future if
his neighbors cooperate
in the fight against the
FARC, resulting in a
handshake between the
two leaders and a
crisis-over declaration
from Correa.
Later, the OAS foreign
ministers meeting on
March 17 decided to
launch diplomatic
efforts to help Colombia
and Ecuador normalize
ties.
Insulza will head on to
Ecuador on Friday.
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