Presidents of Venezuela,
Colombia Meet To Revive
Ties
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez met his
Colombian counterpart
Alvaro Uribe early
Friday in a bid to
revive ties, which have
become increasingly
tense since November
2007.
After closed-door talks
at the Amuay oil
refinery in
Paraguana,350 km from
Caracas, the presidents
told a press conference
they were ready to turn
a "new page" on
bilateral ties and
agreed to cooperate in
several sectors.
The Venezuelan president
also offered to help
Colombia and Ecuador
restore diplomatic ties,
which were severed in
March after Colombian
government forces
trespassed on Ecuadoran
territory during a
cross-border raid
against Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) rebels.
It was the first
one-on-one meeting
between the two leaders
since late 2007, when
they fell out over FARC.
Uribe suspended Chavez's
role as mediator between
the Colombian government
and the rebels, saying
the Venezuelan leader
had contacted Colombian
military commanders
during his mediation
efforts, in violation of
the agreement between
the two countries.
Tensions ran even higher
in March 2008, when the
cross-border attack on
FARC rebels prompted
Chavez to mobilize
troops along the
Venezuela-Colombia
border.
Bilateral ties were "put
in the freezer"
following the incident.
However, Chavez last
month called on FARC to
disarm and give up
hostages after
previously urging world
leaders to recognize it
as a legitimate
insurgent army.
The U-turn was widely
viewed as a signal that
the Venezuelan leader
has become serious about
reviving ties with
Colombia, which is
enjoying increased
international support
following last week's
successful rescue of 15
FARC hostages. |
