EU, US recognize Ecuador's new government
The European Union (EU) and the United States have recognized Ecuador's new government, reports reaching here said Monday.

The EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the bloc has recognized Alfredo Palacio as Ecuador's new president.

"Until everything is clarified, what we are doing is to recognize the country, which is a... friendly country, and to see if we can find ways to help make progress democratically," he said before a meeting with EU foreign ministers.

Solana added that the EU wants to see a "normalization" of the situation in Ecuador after the ouster of former President Lucio Gutierrez last week.

Also on Monday, US Ambassador to Ecuador Kristie Kenney said relations between the two countries are "as usual."

The United States "never broke relations and we continued to work with the government," she said after meeting with Palacio at the Government Palace.

Kenney noted that the US government will help Ecuador strengthen its democratic system.

"What is important for my nation at this moment is to see how we can help Ecuador continue strengthening its democratic system and offer the Ecuadorian people opportunities to grow and generate jobs," she said.

Ecuador has been in a turmoil after its congress voted last Wednesday to fire Gutierrez for "abandoning his post" and named Palacio in his place. Gutierrez fled into exile in Brazil on Sunday.