Colombian, Venezuelan
Leaders To Meet Soon
Colombian and Venezuelan
leaders have agreed to
meet soon to restore
mutual trust jeopardized
by a recent
confrontation over
Colombia's cross-border
attack on rebels in
Ecuador, the Colombian
foreign minister said
Friday.
Fernando Araujo said
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe and his
Venezuelan counterpart
Hugo Chavez spoke by
phone on Thursday and
set a date for a
meeting. But Araujo did
not tell the exact date.
During their 20-minute
phone conversation,
Chavez expressed his
willingness to restore
mutual trust and resume
cooperation with
Colombia, local media
reported.
Both leaders agreed to
strengthen cooperation,
build confidence and
establish friendly
relations between the
two countries and they
reached consensus on
maintaining border
security and fighting
illegal armed groups.
The Colombian foreign
minister said his
mission now is to
prepare for the meeting
after a recent
confrontation between
the two neighboring
countries, sparked by
the Colombian military's
cross-border attack on a
rebel camp in Ecuador.
Colombia government
forces attacked the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia in
Ecuador on March 1,
killing 21 people,
including the group's
number-two leader Raul
Reyes.
The raid ignited
regional tensions as
Ecuador and Venezuela
sent troops to their
borders with Colombia.
With the mediation of
member nations of the
Rio Group, the crisis
was settled with
Colombia offering a
formal apology to
Ecuador and leaders of
the three shaking hands
at the recent Rio Group
summit in a goodwill
gesture.
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